Valentin Petrovich Glushko
(1908-1989)

 

 

Scientist, the farther of our country's liquid propulsion engineering,
full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences,
twice Hero of Socialist Labor,
winner of Lenin and State Prizes of USSR

Graduated from Leningrad State University (1929), Doctor of Science, Engineering (1957), corresponding member (1953), full member (1958) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Full member of the International Academy of Astronautics.
1974 to 1977 - director and general designer of NPO Energia, 1977 to 1989 - general designer of NPO Energia of the Ministry of General Machinebuilding of the USSR, Kaliningrad, Moscow region.
He is the founder of a scientific school in the field of applied liquid propulsion engineering, a member of the first Council of Chief Designers.
Designer of the world's first electrothermal rocket engine (1928-1933), first Soviet liquid rocket engines ORM (1930-1931), a family of rockets RLA using liquid propulsion (1932-1933), powerful liquid propellant engines installed virtually on all of our country's launch vehicles, which put into orbit the first and subsequent satellites, spacecraft with Y.A. Gagarin and other cosmonauts, supported missions to the Moon and planets of the Solar system.
He was in charge of work on the development of space stations Salyut, Mir, space rocket system Energia-Buran, a common series of our country's launch vehicles. During the same period of time, developed under his direction were the world's most powerful liquid rocket engines for Zenit and Energia launch vehicles.
Being the chairman of the Council of Chief Designers, in 1974-1989 he was providing technical management and coordination of activities of companies and organizations in our country's rocket and space industry within the framework of projects developed under the leadership of NPO Energia.
He made his contribution to the world science: his work on fundamental handbooks on thermal constants, thermodynamic and thermophysical properties of various substances (1956 through 1982 - 40 books) are highly appreciated throughout the world. He authored more than 400 scientific papers, articles and inventions. He chaired and sat on many academic boards, was the editor-in-chief of three editions of Cosmonautics Encyclopedia (1968, 1970, 1985). For several decades he headed an academic board for liquid rocket propellants under the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He was a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 5th through 11th convocations, a member of the Central Committee of CPSU (1976-1989).
Winner of the Lenin Prize (1957) and State Prizes of the USSR (1967, 1984). Twice Hero of Socialist Labor (1956, 1961). He is a holder of the orders of Lenin (1956, 1958, 1968, 1975, 1978), of the October Revolution (1971), of the Red Banner of Labor (1945), many medals including the Tsiolkovsky gold medal from the USSR Academy of Sciences (1958). Monuments to him are erected in Odessa and Moscow. Named after him is NPO Energomash in Khimki, Moscow region. His name was given to a crater on the Moon. A memorial plaque was installed on the premises of RSC Energia at the main entrance to the building where he had worked. V.P.Glushko is an honorary citizen of Kazan, Kaluga, Leninsk, Odessa, Primorsk, Khimki, Elista.