An exhibition of unique archival documents titled “The Development of Rocket Engineering in Russia,” dedicated to the life and work of the Soviet scientist and outstanding designer Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, has opened at the Samara National Research University named after Academician S.P. Korolev. The exhibition was prepared by the university in collaboration with the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), as well as leading enterprises such as JSC “RCC Progress” and PJSC “ODK-Kuznetsov.” The exhibition features documents, photographs, and artifacts from the history of the aerospace industry. Additionally, visitors can use VR headsets to take a 3D tour of the fire tests of the RD-107A/RD-108A rocket engines, which form the foundation of the domestic space program.
On behalf of Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, the acting Minister of Industry and Trade of the Samara Region, Denis Gurkov, welcomed the participants at the opening of the exhibition. He told students about how the Samara Region became one of the key centers of the aerospace industry.
“The Samara Region can truly be called the space capital of Russia. It was here that the serial production of the first intercontinental ballistic missile, the R-7, was launched, followed by the ‘Vostok’ and ‘Molniya’ launch vehicles. The ‘Voskhod’ and ‘Soyuz’ space rockets were also developed and produced here. The region’s contribution to space exploration is immense, and today many of us—students, educators, scientists, and industry workers—continue this important work,” noted Denis Gurkov. “This exhibition will undoubtedly help draw the attention of young people to our country’s achievements in space and inspire a new generation to make their own accomplishments.”
It is worth noting that the exhibition was organized in accordance with the decisions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In 2022, at a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects, the President of Russia identified improving the quality of engineering education as one of the state’s priority tasks. This task was further developed in 2023 at the Presidium of the State Council, dedicated to the development of the country’s industry under sanctions pressure, as well as within the framework of relevant instructions from Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on February 7, 2024.
The exhibition will run until November 28, 2024, at the following address: Samara, Molodogvardeyskaya Street, Building 151, Block 1.
“For ODK-Kuznetsov, this exhibition is a unique opportunity to tell, and most importantly, show Samara students and schoolchildren the achievements of Russian industry in one of its most high-tech sectors—engine manufacturing. Engineers and designers are not the most obvious professions, and the work of these specialists is surrounded by many myths. That is why our young design bureau leaders talk about the tasks facing modern technical specialists today. Currently, systems engineering is a priority—a cutting-edge engineer needs to possess a broad range of knowledge and competencies to successfully solve production challenges,” said Alexey Sobolev, Deputy General Director and Managing Director of PJSC “ODK-Kuznetsov.”
Source: Association “Union of Employers of the Samara region”.