History of Science: Soviet scientist, rocket engineer and spacecraft designer Sergei Korolev was born

Sergei P. Korolev [30.12.1906 (12.1.1907), Zhitomir, — 14.1.1966, Moscow], Soviet scientist, rocket engineer and spacecraft designer, academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union (1958; corresponding member 1953), twice Hero of Socialist Labor (1956, 1961).

S.P. Korolev was the one who developed series of successful designs of gliders. After he met K.E. Tsiolkovsky and learnt about his works S.P. Korolev took a keen interest in creation of rocket-type aircrafts. In 1931 jointly with Friedrich Zander Sergei Korolev took part in organization of the Group for the Study of Jet Propulsion (GIRD, Moscow), while in May 1932 he became the head of the group. The first Soviet liquid-fuelled rocket “GIRD-09” was built and launched in August 1933. After merging of GIRD and Gas Dynamics Laboratory (GDL) in late 1933 and foundation of the Jet Propulsion Research Institute (RNII)  S.P. Korolev was appointed the Deputy Chief of the Institute, while in the beginning 1934 — the head of the Rocket Aircraft Department. In 1934 came out his work “Rocket flight in stratosphere”. He designed a number of projects, including the projects of cruise missiles with a guidance system 212 (flew in 1939) and a rocket glider RP-318-1, which for the first time in the Soviet Union made its flight under control of pilot V.P. Fedorov (1940). Between 1942-1946 S.P. Korolev worked in the Experimental Design Bureau (OKB) as a Deputy Chief Engine Designer addressing a problem of equipping serial warplanes with liquid rocket accelerators. Further work of Sergei Korolev as a Head of the large collective was aimed at design of powerful missile systems.

In the history of space exploration the name of Sergei P. Korolev is associated with an era of first remarkable achievements. Outstanding organizational skills and a talent of a prominent scientist enabled him for many years to guide work of many research and designers’ teams in order to cope with complex problems. Scientific and technical ideas of Sergei Korolev were widely used in missile and space technology. Under his guidance were designed many of ballistic and geophysical rockets, launch vehicles and manned spacecrafts “Vostok” and “Voskhod”, on board of which, for the first time in history, were made man’s space flight and man’s space walk. Rocket and space systems, the development of which was led by Korolev, allowed for the first time in the world to launch artificial satellites of the Earth and the Sun, flights of unmanned interplanetary stations to the Moon, Venus and Mars, make a soft landing on the lunar surface. Under his guidance were launched artificial satellites of the Earth of “Elektron” and “Molniya-1” series, many satellites of “Kosmos” series, first examples of Soviet interplanetary explorers of “Zond” series. Korolev brought up many scientists and engineers. In 1957 S.P. Korolev was awarded the Lenin Prize. He was also awarded three Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Badge of Honor and medals. The name of Korolev as one of the founders of practical astronautics was given to the largest formation (thalassoeidés) on the reverse side of the Moon.