January 2. Military-Industrial Commission (VPK) Decree 15-5 "On creation of the space and missile cosmodrome at NIIP-51 at Plesetsk" was issued.  October 22, Plesetsk.  The first R-16 missle fired from Plesetsk.  May. As the number of ballistic missiles deployed increased, a specialised "Subdirectorate for Nuclear Operations" was formed within the 12th Directorate.   June 15. Decree "On adoption into armaments of the R-16 surface variant" was issued.   July 15. R-12U, R-14U, and R-16U silo-based missiles accepted into service.  August 30. Decree "On formation of NIIP-53 at Angara" was issued.  August30. Washington-to-Moscow “hot line” communications link opens, designed to reduce risk of accidental war.  September 16. Decree 999-347 "On creation or the space and missile cosmodrome at NIIP-53 at Mirniy-Plesetsk" was issued.   November 22. President Kennedy shot and killed by sniper in Dallas, Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President same day.

In 1963, three silo-based launchers N° 9, 10 and 11 for R-16U missiles were constructed in Plesetsk. The newest of the silos, N° 11, became the core of war games under code-name "Groza" (Thunder) orchestrated from Moscow, apparently, in the wake of Cuban missile crisis. According to the plan, on October 8, 1963, command and control post in Plesetsk as well as Gusha's R-16 unit were put on alert and on midnight October 22, R-16 ICBM with a mock-up warhead was fired from 11th silo complex, the first ever missile fired from Plesetsk. By the end of 1963, four launchers for R-9A  missiles had been also in operation in Plesetsk. 

On January 2 1963, the official resolution N° 15-5 by the Soviet of Ministers to create a new test range "Angara" was issued. By the end of the year, rail line and a road connecting Eliza railway station with prospective test range have been built, as well as excavations for missile silos had started. At the same time, during 1963, according to Alpaidze,  Korolev, whom he knew since early rocket tests in Kapustin Yar in the 1950's, insisted on using existing infrastructure in Plesetsk for the new test range. Reportedly, Korolev volunteered to prepare an official proposal to the Minister of Defense Industry Sergei Zverev, who later approved the idea. At the meantime, Alpaidze lobbied the proposal before the Ministry of Defense establishment. To evaluate the project, Marshall Grechko, Deputy to the Minister of Defense, formed an assessment group led by General Alexander Popov, with Alpaidze as his deputy. After a positive resolution by the group, on September 16, 1963, Soviet of Ministers USSR issued a resolution N° 999-347 approving a merger of the future test range and ICBM base in Plesetsk. Velsk facilities under construction were transferred under civilian control. The personnel transfer of the newly formed center from Velsk to Plesetsk was completed by the end of 1963.  The approved construction plan of the test facilities in Plesetsk represented major departure from the traditional set up in Kapustin Yar and Tyuratam. Reportedly, the Commander of the Rocket Forces Marshall Nikolai Krylov insisted on placing checkout, assembly and storage facilities for solid-fuel missiles and spacecraft adjacent to the main residential area in the town of Mirny, unlike other two sites, where they would be next to the launch pads.  

The addition of the test function to the operational role of the site required radical restructuring and development in Plesetsk area. By July 1964, the new subdivisions have emerged: test and space division led by Colonel V. Eibshitz and division of measurements and ground control led by Colonel N. Borisov. The Plesetsk veteran Colonel Mikheev was in charge of operational ICBMs. Test and space division took over control over 42nd battle station led by colonel Dudin, based on the Facility N° 1,  which had to be converted to launch R-7-based space boosters. Alpaidze became formal Commander of the range replacing Shtanko, who left previous December. The site received a long official name "Scientific Research Test Range of the Rocket and Space Armaments of the Ministry of Defense N° 53" or simply NIIP-53.