Birthday March 01, 1912

Soviet and Russian scientist and designer, one of the closest associates of S.

Biography

Born on March 1, 1912 in the city of Lodz in the Russian Empire (on the territory of modern Poland) in a Jewish family of employees - Evsey Menaseevich Chertok (1870-1943), an employee, worked as an accountant, and Sofia Borisovna Yavchunovskaya (1880-1942), an obstetrician.

In 1914, Poland became a war zone. Parents with the flow of refugees of the "Russian-speaking population" left for Russia and settled in Moscow.

Boris Chertok was not admitted to Moscow Higher Technical School because of his social origin, although he passed the exams, they said: “You have no work experience! Go and work at the factory, and in three years we will gladly accept you, but already as a worker, and not as the son of employees. In August 1930, he was hired in the electrical department of the equipment department (OBO) as an electrician of the 4th category at aircraft factory No. 22 in Moscow, which produced TB-1 aircraft. Participated in the introduction of the TB-3 aircraft into production. He participated in the preparation of aircraft of a special Arctic version, on which I. D. Papanin landed on an ice floe: the work of the polar station SP-1 began (1937). He was the responsible engineer for the electrical and radio equipment of the H-209 C aircraft, on which he flew to the USA via the North Pole S.A. Levanevsky (by the way, the author of the idea of ​​such a flight). In August 1938, he served as head of the design team for "special equipment and armament of aircraft" at the same plant.

In 1934, Chertok entered the evening department at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute, graduating in 1940. From 1940 to 1945, B. E. Chertok worked in the design bureau of the chief designer V. F. Bolkhovitinov at plant No. 84, then at plant No. 293 and at NII-1 of the NKAP of the USSR under the leadership of Lieutenant General of Aviation Ya. L. Bibikov.

In April 1945, as part of a special commission, B.E. Chertok was sent to Germany, where until January 1947 he led the work of a group of Soviet specialists in the study of rocket technology. On May 2, 1945, with the rank of major, he signed the Reichstag, which he considered the happiest achievement in his life. In the same year, together with A. M. Isaev, he organized in the Soviet occupation zone (in Thuringia) the joint Soviet-German rocket institute Rabe, which was engaged in the study and development of long-range ballistic missile control technology. On the basis of the institute in 1946, a new institute was created - Nordhausen, whose chief engineer was S.P. Korolev. Since that time, Boris Evseevich worked in close cooperation with Sergei Pavlovich Korolev.

In August 1946, by orders of the Ministers of Aviation Industry and Armaments, B.E. Chertok was transferred to the post of Deputy Chief Engineer and Head of the Control Systems Department of the Scientific Research Institute No. 88 (NII-88) of the Ministry of Armaments.

In 1950, he was transferred to the position of deputy head of the department, and in 1951 - head of the control systems department of the Special Design Bureau No. 1 (OKB-1) NII-88, whose chief designer was S. P. Korolev.

In 1974, B. E. Chertok was appointed Deputy General Designer of the Energy Research and Production Association for Control Systems.

Since 1946, B.E. Chertok's entire scientific and engineering activity has been connected with the development and creation of missile and spacecraft control systems. He created a school, which until now determines the scientific directions and the level of domestic technology of manned space flights.

At the end of 1930, Boris Chertok moved to Plant No. 22 (later the Gorbunov Plant), which at that time was the largest aviation enterprise in the country. Here he worked as an electrician for industrial equipment, in 1930-1933 - as an electric radio fitter for aircraft equipment, in 1933-1935 - as a radio engineer for aircraft radio equipment, in 1935-1937 - head of the Design Bureau Design Bureau, in 1937-1938 - head of the design team for aircraft equipment and weapons.

During these years, Boris Chertok developed an automatic electronic bomb release, which was tested. In 1936-1937, without a completed higher education, Chertok was appointed lead engineer for the electrical equipment of polar expedition aircraft. He participated in the preparation of the aircraft of the Vodop'yanov group's expedition to the North Pole and the Levanevsky aircraft for the transpolar flight Moscow-USA.

In 1934-1940, Boris Chertok studied at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute. The topic of his graduation project was the development of an electrical system for a heavy aircraft at high frequency alternating current. This work was the first serious attempt to introduce a new alternating current system into aviation, but with the outbreak of war it was put on hold.

From 1940 to 1945, Boris Chertok worked at Viktor Bolkhovitinov's design bureau at plant No. 84, then at plant No. 293 and at NII-1 NKAP (Research Institute of the People's Commissariat of Aviation Industry), where he was subsequently appointed head of the electrical and special equipment department, automation and control.

During the Great Patriotic War, Boris Chertok developed automatic weapons control for aircraft and ignition of liquid-propellant rocket engines. He also created a control and electric ignition system for liquid rocket engines, which was used in the first flight of the BI-1 rocket aircraft, carried out in 1942.

In 1945-1947, Boris Chertok was sent to Germany, where he led the work of a group of Soviet specialists in the study of rocket technology. Together with Alexei Isaev, he organized in the Soviet occupation zone (in Thuringia) a joint Soviet-German missile institute "Rabe", which was engaged in the study and development of long-range ballistic missile control technology. On the basis of the institute in 1946 a new institute was created - "Nordhausen", the chief engineer of which was Sergei Korolev.

In August 1946, Boris Chertok was transferred to the position of deputy chief engineer and head of the control systems department of NII-88.

He took part in the study, assembly and first launches of captured V-2 missiles, then in the development, production and testing of their Soviet counterpart R-1, and after that, all subsequent Soviet combat missiles. In 1950, Chertok went to work at OKB-1 (Design Bureau of Sergey Korolev, since 1994 - Rocket and Space Corporation (RKK) Energia named after S.P. Korolev) as deputy head of department No. 5 (department of control systems), head which at that time was Mikhail Yangel.

In 1974, Boris Chertok became deputy general designer for control systems. He worked in this position until 1992; Queen.

Boris Chertok participated in the development and commissioning of the first domestic long-range ballistic missiles, the creation and launch of high-altitude geophysical rockets, space launch vehicles, the first artificial Earth satellites, scientific satellites "Electron", automatic interplanetary stations for flights to the Moon, Mars, Venus , communications satellites "Molniya-1", photo-surveillance "Zenit", design and creation of the first spacecraft, one of which flew the first cosmonaut of the planet Yuri Gagarin.

Boris Chertok was a designer in the field of development and creation of on-board control systems and electrical systems for rocket and space technology products. He created a scientific school in the field of design, manufacture, testing and application of on-board control systems and electrical systems for missile systems, rocket and space complexes and systems.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

On December 14, 2011, the legendary designer of space technology, associate and deputy of Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, academician Boris Evseevich CHERTOK, passed away. He passed away just two and a half months before his centenary. Novaya Gazeta has repeatedly published conversations with him and essays about him. It so happened that a month before his death, Boris Evseevich gave a long interview to our observer, Russian pilot-cosmonaut Yuri Baturin. We were preparing its publication for the centenary of the scientist. Did not happen. In all likelihood, that was the last interview of the oldest veteran of the national cosmonautics. We offer the reader a fragment of the conversation.

We drink tea with Boris Evseevich Chertok in the memorial house-museum of S.P. Korolev, branch of the Museum of Cosmonautics. It is a stone's throw from Academician Korolev Street. Boris Evseevich is sitting on a small sofa. In fact, the sofa is the most valuable exhibit, and no one is allowed to sit on it. Except Chertok.

- Boris Evseevich, when they were preparing the First Sputnik, they created a ship for the flight of Yu.A. Gagarin, and the Chief Designer, and you and your colleagues were secret people. How do you compare your position then with today's full openness?

- We are now in a holy place for astronautics. From this house S.P. Korolev went to work, returned here. And nobody knew. I've been here too. We considered it normal that we were classified. After all, we worked on two fronts: on the one hand, we were engaged in astronautics, on the other, we were forging a nuclear missile shield. In this our activity differed from the work of partners, as we say now, and then - opponents in the cold war.
They have a military (Pentagon) and a civilian department (NASA) each doing its own thing. And they were able to solve the problem of landing a man on the moon and took a leading position. And we were very worried about this. I felt shame that we, having become the first in space, ceded the Moon to the Americans.

- The moon was already difficult for the Soviet Union then?

- Once I was summoned to the Kremlin for a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission. I had to report on the reasons for the failures. Why is there still no soft landing on the moon? Why have we still not received a panorama of the lunar surface, although we have spent so many launches?

Then they tried to carry out such an explanation. The Americans landed safely, because we showed them that there is not deep dust, but hard ground - sit down, they say, calmly. It turns out that we, Soviet specialists, somehow helped them. Even so.

I sat at the table next to S.P. Korolyov. They give me a word. And suddenly the heavy hand of Sergei Pavlovich pushes me back into the Kremlin chair.

- I will answer.

“We have your deputy Chertok reporting on the agenda, who is directly responsible for our failures ...” says the host.

— I am the Chief Designer. Can I answer for my deputy?

Ministers sit at the table. Next to Keldysh. It must be said that the ministers of that time were not as dumb as those who are shown to us today on TV. The word of each minister was very weighty. In the depths, not at the table, D.F. Ustinov, who was in charge of defense problems:

- Of course, give the floor to Sergei Pavlovich.

And Korolev very calmly said:

- Of course, Chertok will be able to report now. Look how many posters he has hanging. He will explain to you for each launch, when and what happened and who is to blame. But there is a process of cognition, and in it such failures have occurred throughout human history. And they are happening today. And you shouldn't be surprised.

Ustinov supported him:

- I think everything is clear. It's time to end the discussion.

- I want to promise you that in the next launch we will get a panorama of the moon.

Indeed, the next launch took place about a month after Korolev's death. The panorama of the lunar surface is now hanging in my office at RSC Energia in the most honorable place. But Korolev did not see her. And it still hurts me terribly, if you like. ( long pause.) But what to do?!

— Boris Evseevich, in September at the 24th World Congress of Cosmonauts in Moscow* you said that the Moon should be made a new "continent" of the Earth. Is this your deliberate position?

— Yes, in the coming years (not decades!) lunar bases should become as common as bases in Antarctica. This is the task of the new generation working in space technology. I'm sure. And therefore, where I can, I speak out and shout out the slogan: the Moon should become in the near future part of the earth's civilization. The population there, of course, will be small. But there will be reliable bases for solving scientific problems.

— What do you think about the development of Chinese astronautics?

- Do you want a joke? Somewhere in a distant universe, brothers in mind have discovered us, built a ship and are flying towards the Earth. Approached, and on our planet a huge inscription: "Made in China."

The anecdote, of course, is evil, but it is "far thinking", I would call it that. China has achieved outstanding results. And quite naturally. Today, Chinese cosmonautics still lags behind both Russian and American ones, but in ten years they will lose our nose. Sooner or later they will fly to the moon. And if the inscription “Made in China” appears there, there is no need to be surprised.

“Maybe we should take a break, Boris Evseevich?” More tea?

I don't mind tea. Tea, it seems, is also a Chinese invention.

- If we return to Korolev's thought, there have always been failures both in knowledge and in astronautics. So they are still valid today?

- Today's failures? I am not looking for specific reasons, but am satisfied with the memories of dozens of emergency commissions, where I was chairman or at least a member. We have always tried to understand the root cause.
And, as a rule, the root cause turned out to be in the human factor: someone committed negligence or sloppiness. If they found someone to blame, they did not so much deal with punishment as they taught everyone else by this example.

Space technology requires exceptionally detailed ground training. And you have to work on a spacecraft on Earth much more than when it has already entered orbit. All large space systems require a good thinking ground crew. When we look at the hall of the Mission Control Center, in addition to computers, it is densely populated with literate people who, each in his own part, understand and, if necessary, can interfere with the work of the spacecraft. But what happened to "Phobos"! ..

When a spacecraft goes into space, any malfunctions can be found on it, any emergency situations may arise. But he must vote. It has a telemetry system on it, which should scream and explain what happened on board: “Yes, I have an emergency situation. Yes, I can't do the main task. That's where I am…” And “Phobos” is silent, like a meteorite. This is beyond what today's space technology allows. And that's why it surprises me.

- And yet why is Russia starting to lag behind?

- It is unfortunate that the huge funds that could be spent on astronautics to solve very important national economic and defense tasks go the other way, for example, on expensive yachts, the cost of each of which is dozens of good spacecraft, for example, to solve problems of remote sensing of the Earth.

We have a sharply conspicuous gap between a class or group of very rich people and the servants and people of the very poor around them. The gap is larger than in the "classical" capitalist countries. It's very annoying! These are the problems of the social system that has been established in the country. How the leadership of the state will be and whether it will be able (and whether it wants) to correct the system, I do not undertake to predict. Thank God, I'm about to turn a hundred years old. And my biggest concern is if I make it to that date. And if I make it, then in which company and how to mark it.

Boris Chertok was born on March 1, 1912 in Lodz, Poland. The boy grew up in a family of employees. His father was a bookkeeper, his mother worked as a midwife. In 1914, Poland became a war zone. Parents with a stream of Russian-speaking refugees left for the interior regions of Russia and settled in Moscow.

In 1929, the guy graduated from high school and immediately went to work as an electrician at the Krasnopresnensky silicate plant. At the end of 1930, he moved to the Gorbunov plant, which at that time was the largest aviation enterprise in the country. Here Boris Evseevich went from an electrician for industrial equipment to the head of the design team for aircraft equipment and weapons.

Four years later, Chertok developed an automatic electronic bomb release, which was tested at the Air Force Research Institute. In 1935, as an inventor, Boris Evseevich was promoted to an engineering position in the Experimental Design Bureau, created under the guidance of designer Viktor Bolkhovitinov.

In 1937, the scientist was appointed lead engineer for the electrical equipment of polar expedition aircraft. Participated in the preparation of the planes of the Vodop'yanov group's expedition to the North Pole and Levanevsky's plane for the transpolar flight Moscow - USA.

Until 1940 he studied at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute, from which he graduated with honors. During the Great Patriotic War, he developed automatic weapons control for aircraft, a control and ignition system for liquid-propellant rocket engines.

In April 1945, as part of a special commission, Boris Evseevich was sent to Germany. In the rank of major on May 2, 1945, he signed the Reichstag, which he considered the happiest moment in his life. In Germany, until January 1947, he led the work of a group of Soviet specialists in the study of rocket technology. Together with Alexei Isaev, he organized the Soviet-German Rabe Rocket Institute in the Soviet zone, which was engaged in the study and development of long-range ballistic missile control technology.

On the basis of the institute, a new institute "Nordhausen" was created, where Sergei Pavlovich Korolev was the chief engineer, with whom Boris Evseevich worked in close cooperation from that time on. All scientific and engineering activities of Chertok since that time have been connected with the development and creation of systems for controlling rockets and spacecraft. He created a school, which until now determines the scientific directions and the level of domestic technology of manned space flights.

In 1958, Boris Evseevich was awarded the degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences. Five years later, he was appointed deputy head of the enterprise for scientific work and head of branch No. 1, where spacecraft and control systems were developed. Since 1966, he became deputy chief designer, head of the complex of the Central Design Bureau of Experimental Engineering.

Later, Chertok became the Deputy General Designer of the Energy Research and Production Association for control systems. He remained in this position until 1992, and then until the end of his days he was the chief scientific consultant to the general designer of the Energia rocket and space complex named after S.P. Queen.

The secret agent of a classified industry came out of the shadows when he was already in his 80s. The scientist wrote the book "Rockets and People": a four-volume encyclopedia about all the secrets of the Soviet cosmonautics, about how and by whom it was created. The American space agency NASA republished the four-volume book in English, and now "Rockets and People" is a reference book for American specialists.

Chertok in his spare time reread Russian and foreign classics: Tolstoy, Pushkin, Lermontov, Mayakovsky, Ilf and Petrov, Hemingway. He loved good science fiction, books about the origin and structure of the universe, memoirs and biographies of prominent scientists.

The great scientist Boris Evseevich Chertok died on December 14, 2011 from pneumonia. The designer was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

Awards and Titles of Boris Chertok

In 1961 he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.

Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (1996)

Two orders of Lenin (1956, 1961)

Order of the October Revolution (1971)

Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1975)

Order of the Red Star (1945)

Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (April 12, 2011) - for great merits in the field of exploration, exploration and use of outer space, many years of conscientious work, active social activity.

Lenin Prize (1957) - for participation in the creation of the first artificial satellites of the Earth

State Prize of the USSR (1976) - for participation in the implementation of the Soyuz-Apollo project

B. N. Petrov Prize of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1993) - for a series of works on automatic control complexes for rocket and space systems

Gold medal named after S.P. Queen of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2007) - for a series of scientific and design works and publications

International Prize of St. Andrew the First-Called "For Faith and Loyalty" (2010)

Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation named after Yu. A. Gagarin in the field of space activities (2011) - for the development of the rocket and space industry, the organization of space activities and the use of its results in the interests of science, ensuring socio-economic development and the country's defense capability

Honorary citizen of the city of Korolev (Moscow region)

In honor of B. E. Chertok, a minor planet (6358) Chertok was named, discovered by the astronomer of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory N. S. Chernykh on January 13, 1977

Works of Boris Chertok

Some of the open works

Chertok BE Methods for improving the reliability of spacecraft motion control. - 1977.
Chertok BE Experience in designing and developing systems of executive bodies for long-term orbital stations. - 1986.
Armand N. A., Semyonov Yu. P., Chertok B. E. Experimental study in the Earth's ionosphere of the radiation of a loop antenna in the very low frequency range installed on the orbital complex "Mir" - "Progress-28" - "Soyuz TM-2" » // Radio engineering and electronics. - 1988. - T. 33, No. 11. - S. 2225-2233.
Chertok B. E. Digital electrohydrodynamic drive of the Energia rocket. - 1990.
Branets V. N., Klab D., Mikrin E. A., Chertok B. E., Sherrill D. Development of computer systems with elements of artificial intelligence used in spacecraft control systems // Izvestiya RAN. Theory and control systems. - 2004. - No. 4. - S. 127-145.
Chertok B. E., Legostaev V. P., Mikrin E. A., Branets V. N., Gusev S. I., Clubb J., Sherrill J. Onboard Control Complex for Vehicles Implementation Concept by ISS Example // Automatic Control in Aerospace 2004. Proceedings of 16th IFAC Symposium, St. Petersburg, Russia, 14-18 June 2004 (in three volumes). Vol. 1 / Ed. by A. Nebylov. - Oxford: International Federation of Automatic Control, 2005. - xiv + 600 p. - ISBN 0-08-044013-4. - P. 107-112.

Rockets and people

In 1994-1999, Boris Chertok, with the assistance of his wife Ekaterina Golubkina, prepared a unique historical series of books "Rockets and People" consisting of four monographs.

Chertok B.E. Rockets and people. - 2nd ed. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1999. - 416 p. - 1300 copies.
Chertok B.E. Rockets and people. Fili - Podlipki - Tyuratam. - 2nd ed. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1999. - 448 p. - 1300 copies.
Chertok B.E. Rockets and people. Hot days of the cold war. - 2nd ed. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1999. - 448 p. - 1300 copies.
Chertok B.E. Rockets and people. Lunar race. - 2nd ed. - M.: Mashinostroenie, 1999. - 538 p. - 5027 copies.

Family of Boris Chertok

Wife - Ekaterina Semyonovna Golubkina (1910-2004), niece of A.S. Golubkina.

Valentin (1939-2011), - engineer, photojournalist;
Mikhail (1945-2014) - engineer, team leader at RSC Energia named after S.P. Queen.

Biography

Born March 1, 1912 in the city of Lodz in the Russian Empire (on the territory of modern Poland) in a Jewish family of employees - Evsey Menaseevich Chertok and Sofia Borisovna Yavchunovskaya.

In August 1930, he was hired in the electrical department of the equipment department (OBO) as an electrician of the 4th category at aircraft plant No. 22 in Moscow, which produced TB-1. Participated in the introduction of TB-3 into production. In August 1938, he served as head of the design team for "special equipment and armament of aircraft" at the same plant.

Graduated in 1940 from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute. From 1940 to 1945, B. E. Chertok worked in the design bureau of the chief designer V. F. Bolkhovitinov at plant No. 84, then at plant No. 293 and at NII-1 of the NKAP of the USSR under the leadership of Lieutenant General of Aviation Ya. L. Bibikov.

On May 2, 1945, with the rank of major, he signed the Reichstag, which he considers the happiest achievement in his life.

In April 1945, as part of a special commission, B.E. Chertok was sent to Germany, where until January 1947 he led the work of a group of Soviet specialists in the study of rocket technology. In the same year, together with A. M. Isaev, he organized in the Soviet occupation zone (in Thuringia) the joint Soviet-German rocket institute Rabe, which was engaged in the study and development of long-range ballistic missile control technology. On the basis of the institute in 1946, a new institute was created - "Nordhausen", whose chief engineer was S.P. Korolev. Since that time, Boris Evseevich worked in close cooperation with Sergei Pavlovich Korolev.

In August 1946, by orders of the Ministers of Aviation Industry and Armaments, B.E. Chertok was transferred to the post of Deputy Chief Engineer and Head of the Control Systems Department of the Scientific Research Institute No. 88 (NII-88) of the Ministry of Armaments. In 1950, he was transferred to the position of deputy head of the department, and in 1951 - head of the control systems department of the Special Design Bureau No. 1 (OKB-1) NII-88, whose chief designer was S. P. Korolev.

In 1974, B. E. Chertok became the Deputy General Designer of the Energy Research and Production Association for control systems.

Since 1946, B.E. Chertok's entire scientific and engineering activity has been connected with the development and creation of systems for controlling rockets and spacecraft. He created a school, which until now determines the scientific directions and the level of domestic technology of manned space flights.

A family

Father - Yevsey Menaseevich Chertok (1870-1943), an employee, worked as an accountant. Mother - Sofia Borisovna Yavchunovskaya (1880-1942), worked as a midwife.

Wife - Ekaterina Semyonovna Golubkina (1910-2004).

Sons - Valentin Borisovich Chertok (born 1939), engineer, photojournalist; Mikhail Borisovich Chertok (born 1945) - engineer, team leader at RSC Energia named after V.I. S. P. Koroleva., Vladimir Borisovich Chertok (born 1949) - Deputy Head of the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Transport.

Grandson - Boris Valentinovich Chertok (born 1972).

Great-grandchildren - Mikhail Borisovich (born 1998), Alexandra Borisovna (born 2000), Daria Borisovna (born 2003), Daniil Borisovich (born 2008).

Awards, prizes and titles

The outstanding services of B. E. Chertok are also highly appreciated by the scientific community. In 1961 he was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor, in 1968 he was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences in the Department of Mechanics and Control Processes, in 2000 a full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in 1990 a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He is an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics and a member of the International Informatization Academy.

B. E. Chertok - holder of many orders and medals of the USSR and Russia:

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree (1996)
• two orders of Lenin (1956, 1961)
• Order of the October Revolution (1971)
• Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1975)
• Order of the Red Star (1945)
• Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (April 12, 2011) - for great merits in the field of exploration, exploration and use of outer space, many years of conscientious work, active social activity
• B. N. Petrov Gold Medal of the Russian Academy of Sciences (1992)
• S.P. Korolev Gold Medal of the Russian Academy of Sciences (2008)

Laureate of the Lenin Prize (1957, for participation in the creation of the first artificial satellites of the Earth), the State Prize of the USSR (1976, for participation in the implementation of the Soyuz-Apollo project), the International Prize of St. Andrew the First-Called "For Faith and Loyalty" (2010).

Proceedings

B. E. Chertok is the author and co-author of more than 200 scientific papers, including a number of monographs, most of which were classified for many years. In 1994-1999, he prepared a unique historical series "Rockets and People" from four monographs.

Some of the open works:

• Methods for Improving the Reliability of Spacecraft Motion Control (1977)
• Experience in designing and developing systems of executive bodies for long-term orbital stations (1986)
• Energia rocket digital electrohydrodynamic drive (1990)

Books in English:

• Boris Chertok (author), Asif Siddiqi (editor). Rockets and People, 2005. . Published by NASA.
• Boris Chertok (author). Rockets and People, Volume 2: Creating a Rocket Industry, 2006. . Published by NASA.
• Boris Chertok (author). Rockets and People, Volume 3: Hot Days of the Cold War, 2009. . Published by NASA.