After graduating from the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute in 1942, Kerimov continued his education at Dzerzhinsky Artillery Academy, where he committed himself to design and development of rocket systems.

Following the death of Sergei Korolev in 1966, Kerimov was appointed Chairman of the State Commission on Piloted Flights and headed it for 25 years (1966–1991).

He supervised every stage of development and operation of both crewed space complexes as well as uncrewed interplanetary stations for former Soviet Union.

Kerimov was also the Head of Chief Directorate of the Ministry of General Machine Building in 1965-1974, which was engaged in the creation of rocket systems.

[1][4] Kerimov supported the continuation of the N1 rocket project, opposed by several influential Soviet political figures due to its repeated failures, which led to his demotion from his leading role in the space program.

At televised space launchings, cameras always focused on the cosmonauts and not the person to whom they reported their readiness to carry out the mission.