Sir, Maxim Vadisiavovich Tarasenko, a leading Russian independent space researcher was killed by a hit-and-run driver in May.

Maxim Tarasenko was a world-famous researcher in the field of military space and strategic weapons. Since 1991, he has worked at the Center for Study of Disarmament and Ecology at the Moscow Physics Technology Institute. In 1992, he published his ground-breaking book Military Aspects of the Soviet Cosmonautics - the first ever independent Russian study on the Soviet military programmes, which immediately became a best-seller and was sought by Russian-speaking space and weapons experts all round the world.

Mr Tarasenko presented lectures and research papers in many countries and was well-known among the Russian space experts in US research institutions and aerospace corporations. In recent years, he worked on an updated version of his book and served as an editorial board member of the Novosti Kosmonavtiki (Cosmonautics News). He also was one of the key authors of the history of the Russian nuclear strategic weapons that was published in 1998.

Mr Tarasenko is survived by his wife and a step-son who was severely injured in the same accident. His family has lost their only bread-winner and currently does not have the means of subsistence.

PETER GORIN

US National Air & Space Museum

Volunteer Researcher

SPACEFLIGHT, Vol. 41. August 1999