Kerim Kerimov | |
|---|---|
 Stamp ofAzerbaijan | |
| Born | (1917-11-14)November 14, 1917 |
| Died | March 29, 2003(2003-03-29) (aged 85) |
| Alma mater | Azerbaijan State Oil and Industry University |
| Known for | One of the founders of the Soviet space industry and a lead architect behind many Soviet space missions. He is highly known for his work inrocket science,astronautics,space exploration. |
| Awards | Hero of Socialist Labour |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Engineering (Aeronautics) |
Lieutenant GeneralKerim Abbasali oghlu Kerimov (Azerbaijani:Kərim Abbasəli oğlu Kərimov,Russian:Керим Аббас-Алиевич Керимов; November 14, 1917 – March 29, 2003) was a Soviet and Russian engineer ofAzerbaijani ethnicity and a general inSoviet Army, who is regarded as one of the key scientists and founders in theSoviet Union'sspace program, and for many years a central figure in the Soviet space program.
Despite his prominent role, his identity was kept a secret from the public for most of his career.[1][2] He was part of theSputnik 1 team in 1957. As a representative of theStrategic Rocket Forces, he was a member of the State Commission on theVostok programme, which led to theVostok 1 flight. In the mid-1960s he was promoted to a leadership role within the space program and oversaw the successfulspace docking ofKosmos 186 and Kosmos 188 in 1967. Kerimov served as a project manager for theSalyut series space stations in the 1970s and served as a consultant to theMir project later in his career.[1][2]
Kerim Kerimov was born on November 14, 1917, in a family of an engineer-technologist inBaku,Azerbaijan (then part of theRussian Republic). After graduating from theAzerbaijan Industrial Institute in 1942, Kerimov continued his education atDzerzhinsky Artillery Academy, where he committed himself to design and development of rocket systems.
An expert in rocket technology, he worked duringWorld War II on the inspection and acceptance of the famousKatyusha rocket launchers. His work was honoured with theOrder of the Red Star. Kerim Kerimov has been involved in Soviet aeronautics from its inception. After World War II, Kerimov worked on the Sovietintercontinental ballistic missile program, rising by 1960 to head the Third Directorate of the Main Directorate of Missile Weapons (GURVO) of the USSR Ministry of Defense that oversaw secret test launches. Along with other rocketry experts, he was sent to Germany in 1946 to collect information on the GermanV-2 rocket.
In 1964 he became head of the newly formed Central Directorate of the Space Forces (TsUKOS) of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Following the death ofSergei 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 formerSoviet Union. Kerimov was also the Head of Chief Directorate of theMinistry of General Machine Building in 1965-1974, which was engaged in the creation of rocket systems.
A string of challenging incidents occurred at the start of his tenure as Chairman, beginning with the loss of theKosmos 133, failedSoyuz test flights, and theSoyuz 1 fatality, which halted the crewed program for eighteen months. Thegovernment of the Soviet Union continued to press for the continuation of its crewed moon program, though, and Kerimov's successful overseeing of the Kosmos 186 and Kosmos 188 linkup earned him the rank of Lieutenant General. He was given responsibilities in managing theSalyut space station program.[3] Progress on the project stalled after that, and the deaths of the crew of theSoyuz 11, who successfully boarded theSalyut 1 and perished prior tore-entry, required an extensive redesign of theSoyuz spacecraft.[1][4]
Kerimov supported the continuation of theN1 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. He continued to chair the Soyuz missions after his demotion.[1]
As in the case of other Soviet space pioneers, the Soviet authorities for many years refused to disclose Kerimov's identity to the public. At televised space launchings, cameras always focused on thecosmonauts and not the person to whom they reported their readiness to carry out the mission. As Kerimov was a "secreted general", he was always hidden from the camera's view; only his voice was broadcast. His name remained a secret until the era of “glasnost” inSoviet Union, when he was first mentioned inPravda newspaper in August 7, 1987. Prior to that, he was always known as the "nameless" or "anonymous" Chairman of the Commission.[5]
After his 1991 retirement, Kerimov was a Consultant to the Main Space Flights Control Centre of theRussian Federal Space Agency, and wroteThe Way to Space, a history of theSoviet space program. He was aHero of Socialist Labour, a laureate ofStalin,Lenin andState prizes of theSoviet Union, and alieutenant general of theSoviet Army. He died March 29, 2003, inMoscow, at the age of 85.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
