Sergey Korolev

Sergey Korolevnn [Public domain]

Going beyond the atmosphere of our planet is one of the most outstanding events of our time, and it is connected with the name of a remarkable scientist, the general constructor of rocket-space systems, Sergey Korolev. It is hard to overestimate the significance of what was done by S. Korolev. Because of Korolev, some of the most outstanding events in the history of mankind were carried out: the first artificial Earth satellite, reaching the Moon and Venus, and the first flight of Yuri Gagarin.

He started with constructing a glider, which he flew himself, then a light jet was designed. In 1929 Sergey Korolev got interested in Tsiolkovsky’s theory and organized his own group in order to study jet propulsion. Amazingly, in 1934 the first Soviet missile was already made. In 1957 a new intercontinental missile was tested. That missile is one of the tops of engineering genius of Sergey Korolev. The missile R7 had an ability to develop an orbital velocity, therefore, to inject an artificial satellite into orbit.

Korolev sitting in the cockpit of glider "Koktebel."NASA [Public domain]

What stands out about Korolev was his determination to move forward. The first artificial Earth satellite was created in October 1957, the second one in November 1957, the third in May 1958. Then the Moon stations were built. The next step was automated spaceships, then crew spaceships were launched into space, transmission satellites, automated apparatus were sent to Mars and Venus, flying around the Moon taking pictures of its back side.

Sergey Korolev paid great attention to the issues of city development, building new blocks of flats, a leisure centre, stadiums, kindergartens, and pioneer camps. He wanted the city to become the best city of Moscow region. The name of Sergey Korolev will remain forever in the names of monuments, mountains, both on the Moon and on the Earth, ships, streets, scholarships and in the name of our city, which owes its prosperity to this remarkable person.