After graduating from the Military Red Banner Engineering Academy of Communications. S.M. Budyonny in Leningrad in 1957. assigned to NIIP-5 MO. Participant in the launches of the world's first intercontinental rocket, the world's first satellite. Participated in the preparation, launch and orbit tracking of the world's first lunar spacecraft, Vostok satellites.

As a telemeter operator, he tested all types of launch vehicles, their payloads at the test site, and telemetry equipment. Since 1987 Head of the Department of Telemetry and SEV of the Main Control Center of the KMC. Honorary radio operator of the USSR. Author of more than 50 scientific papers and publications. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the medal "For Labor Valour" and other medals, the distinction "For Space Exploration" 1st degree.

He takes an active part in promoting the history and traditions of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The chiefs of the Baikonur cosmodrome - the world's first cosmodrome of the Earth, from which the first intercontinental rocket, satellite, lunar, cosmonaut took off and in the history of which many glorious pages of the rocket and space era of mankind are inscribed - who are these people? Previously, they, like all Baikonur testers, were under the cloak of secrecy, their names and deeds were unknown. Now it's time to talk about them, because they and their deeds are a part of the cosmic history of our people.

These biographical sketches are based on both documentary materials gleaned from the personal files of the persons described, published data and historical materials that are being prepared for publication, as well as the personal impressions of the author, who served at Baikonur for 30 years - from June 22, 1957. to May 20, 1987 The former head of the museum of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Yaroslav Viktorovich Nechesa, provided the author with detailed factual material about the chiefs of the Baikonur Cosmodrome based on the track records of their personal affairs, and therefore the author considers Ya.V. Nechesa a co-author of the article. When presenting the material, we will, if possible, adhere to the chronology of events and the objectivity of the characteristics, although the subjective perception of the author cannot be completely excluded.

The first chiefs of the test site (it began to be called a cosmodrome later) had the hardest time, creating it on a bare spot in the desert, and the last, who worked in the era of the so-called reforms, or rather, in the era of the total collapse and robbery of the country, which directly affected the cosmodrome and space research. So, our first story about the creation of the Scientific Research Test Site No. 5 (aka the Tyura-Tam test site, also known as the Southern Test Site, also known as the Baikonur Cosmodrome) and its first head, Alexei Ivanovich Nesterenko.

May 20, 1954 Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 956-408ss was adopted on the development, manufacture and testing of the first R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile.

February 12, 1955 Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 292-181 was issued on the creation of a Research Testing Ground No. 5 (NIIP-5) for testing intercontinental missiles in the area of ​​the Tyura-Tam railway siding of the Kyzyl-Orda region of the Kazakh SSR.

March 10, 1955 By directive of the General Staff of the Soviet Army, an organizational group for the new training ground was created, the basis of which was 10 officers from the KapustinYar training ground. The tasks of the group included: a) development of the staff of the landfill, b) selection and training of personnel, c) preparation of applications for all types of material and technical support, d) organization of control over the construction of the landfill.

The organizational group constantly expanded. During March-April, the head of the training ground, the head of the political department, the chief of staff and other officials were appointed.

Colonel Konstantin Vasilyevich GERCHIK was appointed head of NIIP-5 on July 2, 1958. by order of the Minister of Defense No. 01700from the post of chief of staff of NIIP-5. He was born on September 27, 1918. in the village of Sorogi, Slutsk district, Minsk region, in a large peasant family. Belarus. The eldest son, from childhood he was accustomed to work, thrift, perseverance in achieving the goal. He graduated from the 10th grade of a secondary school in the village of Urechi in 1938, the 2nd Leningrad Artillery School in 1940, the Artillery Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky (command faculty in the field of "ground artillery") in 1950, two-month Higher academic courses at the Academy of the General Staff. K.E. Voroshilova in 1968

In the Armed Forces of the USSR since September 1938. The primary officer rank of junior lieutenant was awarded on 10.1940. He began his military service in October 1940. platoon commander of the 462nd Corps Artillery Regiment.

Member of the Great Patriotic War from 22.6.1941. on May 9, 1945 He fought as part of the fronts: Western (22.6-24.7.1941), Central (24.7-16.8.1941), Bryansk (16.8.1941-14.3.1943) as a platoon and battery commander of the 462nd Corps Artillery Regiment of the 13th Army, assistant chief headquarters of the 19th Guards Cannon Artillery Army Regiment of the RGK; Central (14.3-15.11.1943) - division commander and chief of staff of the 19th Guards. AARP RGK; 1st Ukrainian (11/15/1943-11/15/1944) - chief of staff of the 19th guards. AARP RGK and the 135th Army Cannon Artillery Dnieper-Zhmerinsky Red Banner Order of the Suvorov Brigade; 4th Ukrainian (11/15/1944-05/09/1945) - chief of staff of 135 APABR of the 38th army. Three times he was surrounded: near Starodub (August 8-10, 1941) and in the Bryansk forests (October 8-10, 1941). He always went out with weapons to the location of our troops, and in Kastornaya (3.7-6.7.1942) he fought an artillery battle surrounded by the enemy, providing a way out of the encirclement for our rifle unit. Battle route: Bobruisk - Roslavl - Starodub - Karachev - Livny - Yelets - Kastornaya - Kursk Bulge - Kyiv - Moravska Ostrava - Prague. In battles, he showed courage, resourcefulness and high skill.

He finished the Great Patriotic War as a lieutenant colonel (April 1945). For military distinctions in battles with the Nazi invaders, he was awarded the orders of: Red Banner (2/21/1942), Red Star (2/9/1943), Kutuzov 3rd degree (5/27/1945).

From May 1945 to February 1950 lieutenant colonel Gerchik - a student of the command faculty of ground artillery of the Artillery Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky. 26.6.1950 he was given the military rank of colonel. After graduating from the academy, he was appointed lecturer in the department of operational-tactical training, then senior lecturer in the department of artillery tactics. From 6.1953 to 10.1954 - deputy head of the school, head of the educational department of the 1st Leningrad Artillery School.

October 27, 1954 Colonel Gerchik is appointed commander of a missile brigade (80th engineering brigade of the RVGK - military unit 52035). He receives a task from Marshal of Artillery Nedelin to prepare the divisions of the brigade for combat training launches of R-1 missiles at the training ground within three months. In order to meet such a short deadline, K.V. Gerchik, after consulting with specialists, decides to use the existing set of rocket technology for training calculations around the clock according to the schedule. Moreover, the next calculation, he was also in position, observing and analyzing the work of the calculation preparing the rocket for launch. A group of instructors was created from the best specialists. Each session ended with a detailed discussion. The results were summed up by the brigade commander. He was not only the organizer of studies, but he himself was among the first to master it. Such a learning pipeline allowed us to complete the task successfully. All three divisions carried out combat training launches in turn, having received good marks. Minister of Defense Zhukov, who was present at one of the launches, praised the actions of the crews and encouraged those who distinguished themselves and the brigade commander.

The headquarters of the reactive units, using the brigade of Colonel Gerchik as the leader, conducted a series of experimental exercises, with the help of which instructions and instructions were developed for the use of missile brigades. In the difficult conditions of the exercises, Colonel Gerchik showed resourcefulness and determination. It was said that one day, while making a march to deliver a rocket to the starting position with a simulated launch, Konstantin Vasilyevich reported to Nedelin that due to the poor condition of the road he did not have time to reach the main position by the specified date, and suggested launching from a reserve position. Nedelin agreed. The task was completed. Only later, when preparing other exercises, did the marshal find out that there were no reserve positions prepared and tied to the coordinates in the brigade for the duration of the indicated march. He scolded Gerchik, but forgave him.

10.7.1957 Konstantin Vasilievich was appointed chief of staff of the 5th NIIP MO and took over from Colonel A.G. Karas. He took office at a tense moment, when tests of the R-7 rocket were not going well and it was necessary to look for the reasons for the failures. At the same time, work was underway at the test site to prepare for the launch of the first satellite, there was a mass of documents on testing, construction, organization of communications, the regime and many other things that the chief of staff should deal with. Nevertheless, he managed to find time to get acquainted with the technique and testing process that was new to him, did not hesitate to ask corrosive questions and study technique with the help of subordinates.

2.7.1958 Colonel K.V. Gerchik assumed the position of head of the training ground. With the support of their deputies - Colonels A.G. Zakharov (G.E. Efimenko), V.I. Ilyushenko (N.V. Paveleva), A.I. Nosov, A.A. Vasiliev (M.F. Zhuravleva) , K.V. Svirina, N.N. Vasilyeva (P.P. Alekseeva, S.D. Ivanova), N.D. Silina (A.E. Ivashchenko), I.K. Kruglyak confidently manages the test site. He is meticulously interested in new rocket and space technology, test facilities and test analysis, performance analysis, research work in the field of combat readiness and combat use of ICBMs. Under him in 1958-1959. work is underway to reduce the time for preparing missiles for launch from various degrees of readiness, methods of preparing a missile for launch under blackout conditions, preparing and testing the ability to control products from RUPs when shifting the direction of fire, and many other issues are being worked out. Instructions on the use of ICBMs are being prepared. Konstantin Vasilievich paid much attention to the construction and improvement of a residential and barracks town. Once a week, he made sure to travel around the village and all its facilities: streets, parks, beaches, schools, kindergartens, and took measures to maintain cleanliness and order. He came to the kindergarten, went around all the premises, took out a snow-white handkerchief, ran it along the lid of the piano or cabinet and said: “Dust!” By the next time, of course, everyone was licked to a shine, although it was almost impossible to fight the Baikonur dust - it penetrated everywhere. However, the entire growing city was planted with greenery, an irrigation system was made from pipes and ditches. Watering was provided according to the schedule of duty by the residents of houses in the yards, and the soldiers - on the streets. All streets were asphalted, the curb stone was whitewashed. The village turned into a well-organized city.

May 7, 1960 KV Gerchik was awarded the rank of Major General. This was the first general rank awarded to an officer of the range. Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces dated July 29, 1960 No. the test site was awarded the Order of the Red Star for success in testing ICBMs and in space exploration and in connection with the 5th anniversary of work. Under Konstantin Vasilyevich, a significant expansion of the test site began, which required active work on reorganization, construction, installation, formation, placement, arrangement of units and subdivisions and preparation for testing.

Even at the end of 1959. the test site was tasked with testing a new R-16 missile (product 8K64), created by M.K. Yangel in Dnepropetrovsk, more suitable for combat use. By order of the head of the landfill, Colonel Gerchik No. 0123 dated 12/20/1959. due to the number of the test site, a group of 35 officers was created to conduct state tests of this missile. On the basis of this group, the 2nd Directorate was organized in March - chief engineer-colonel P.M. Grigoryants (25.3-24.10.1960). At the same time, the 1st Directorate was created - chief engineer-lieutenant colonel E.I. Ostashev (25.3-24.10.1960) - to continue testing the R-7 rocket. The OIR service was renamed the NOIR service, and both of these departments are subordinate to it.

March 2-6, 1960 the 347th engineering regiment of the RVGK (commander Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Kabanov) arrived in the 2nd Directorate. The regiment was formed on the basis of artillery units of the Far Eastern Military District. 14.3.1960 914 PRTBs arrived in the department. For their work and accommodation, two starting positions were built on the 41st site, MIK on the 42nd and 38th sites and a residential town on the 43rd site. To ensure measurements in the MIK, at the start and in flight 5.5.1960. IP-2 was formed (lieutenant colonel V.Ya.Sizonenko). It was located on the 43rd site. In the summer, a group of officers from the 2nd directorate and Kabanov's unit was trained at the design bureau and at the factories producing the R-16 rocket and systems.

26.2.1960 Based on the directive of the General Staff, the head of the training ground issued an order to form military unit 33797 - the 69th combat launch station (lieutenant colonel A.G. Gontarenko). A launch pad for the R-7 rocket, two MIKs and a residential town on the 31st site were built for it. At the beginning of the year, 1089 PRTBs were included in the landfill. The 286th air squadron was transformed into a separate mixed air regiment. In April 1960 an air defense missile brigade arrived at the training ground, which on May 1 met the flight of the American U-2 reconnaissance aircraft and was ready to shoot it down, but it bypassed the training ground, fixing the tracking station.

Under the head of the test site Gerchik, 42 ​​launches of ICBMs and PHs (8K71, 8K72, 8K72K, 8K74, 8K78) were carried out at the test site. The 8K71, 8K74, 8K72 ICBMs have been tested and put into service, the world's first lunar satellites have been launched. The development of PH for launching spaceships with a man on board and automatic interplanetary stations to Mars and the development of a new intercontinental rocket, the 8K64 product, began.

September 26, 1960 product 8K64 No. LD 1-3T (flight-finishing) arrived at MIK-41 and its testing and preparation for launch began.

Major General Gerchik was a member of the State Commission for testing the R-16 missile and participated in all its work. The rocket was "raw". TP tests were difficult. There were many comments that were eliminated on the spot by the forces of industry and test site testers. On October 21, the rocket was installed at the launch.

On October 23, pre-launch tests were completed, which passed without comment. On the same day, the rocket was refueled and preparations for launch began. At the same time, a drip leak was discovered, it was constantly neutralized by the calculation of the chemical service. In the process of preparation, when giving commands to blow up the pyromembrane of the 2nd stage oxidizer lines, due to design and manufacturing defects in the detonation console developed by OKB-692 GKRE, a false command was issued and the pyromembrane of the 1st stage fuel line was blown up. Then the squibs of the shut-off valves of the gas generator of the 1st block of the 1st stage propulsion engine spontaneously exploded and the main distributor of the onboard cable network failed. The tests were suspended. Shut-off valves and distributor replaced. On the morning of October 24, the State Commission decided to continue preparing the rocket for launch, allowing a deviation from the approved technology: reinstalling the stepper motors of the rocket control system to its original position was carried out with the engine starting system filled with fuel and the onboard power supply turned on. In addition, it was decided to blast the 2nd stage separating membranes not from the blasting console, but through autonomous circuits from separate current sources.

The State Commission, headed by M.I. Nedelin, moved to IP-1B, where an observation post was built for it in the form of a wooden veranda. However, when a 30-minute delay was announced, Nedelin decided to go to the start to find out what was happening there. The whole commission went with him. Nedelin was given a chair next to the rocket at the baffle wall, and a sofa for members of the State Commission was put a little further on. M.K. Yangel and General Mrykin got off at the checkpoint of the 41st site to smoke. At this time, readiness was announced for 30 minutes and the reinstallation of stepper motors to their original position began. Prior to this, the separating membranes of the oxidizer and fuel lines of the 2nd stage propulsion and steering engines were ruptured on board the product, and, according to the instructions of the technical management, the ampoule batteries of both stages involved on the ground were connected. As a result of round-the-clock work, the combat crews were very tired. But everyone wanted to launch a rocket at all costs. Moreover, apparently there was no other way: the rocket could not be in a refueled state with broken membranes for more than 1-2 days, and the instructions for draining the fuel components had not been developed by that time.

At the same time, they worked without the main document. The only draft of the electrical circuit of the product was in the possession of a representative of the company Konoplev, who was not allowed to start. The reinstallation was carried out by Konoplev himself from the remote control in the bus. The control system had no interlocks in case of such emergency work, which was now carried out at the start. But, apparently, as a result of fatigue, everyone lost their vigilance. The work had entered the stage when everyone, without exception, wanted to launch a rocket. Somewhat later, when preparing a larger rocket, it was said: “Better a terrible end than horror without end!” It was the same case. Realizing the danger of the situation, Nedelin ordered to comb the starting position and remove all unnecessary people. The crews of the combat unit trained to carry out combat duty were removed, as well as other people (about 100 people in total), who were sent by buses and trucks to the evacuation area.

At 18 hours 45 minutes due to premature operation of the electro-pneumatic valve for pressurization of the starting tanks, caused by the command of the program current distributor when moving to its original position, the main engine of the 2nd stage was started. The engine torch ruptured the conical adapter between stages, burning through the bottom of the 1st stage oxidizer tank, and then ruptured the 2nd stage fuel tank, causing a large mass of associated self-igniting propellant components to flash into flame. A powerful wave of a fiery hurricane hit the working people, who literally covered the rocket, spreading in concentric circles at a distance of 100-120m from the rocket and destroying all living things in its path (250 people were on the 41st site during the fire) and equipment. Burning people jumped down from the rocket, ran from it, climbed over the barbed wire fence. Some hid in wells. This saved from fire, but did not save from poisoning with heptyl vapor and nitric acid. Explosive burning lasted about 20 seconds, and the fire on the site for about 2 hours. There was no explosion with the destruction of the rocket into pieces and the scattering of fragments. The rocket after the fire lay at the start of the whole: the 1st and 2nd stage together.

The day was overcast, and the glare of the fire was reflected in the gray clouds and was visible from the 10th site, 50 km from the start. Chief Marshal of Artillery Nedelin, who was sitting 15 meters away from the rocket, died in the flames. The head of the range Gerchik, who was near the installer, was saved by the soldiers, pushing him out of the fire, and a gust of wind that carried the flame in the opposite direction. But he received II-III degree burns on his face, neck, head, legs, belt and hands. Nevertheless, he left only after giving orders to organize rescue operations. Yangel and Mrykin were saved by the fact that they were in the smoking room. In the fire, the head of the NOIR service A.I. Nosov, the head of the 1st department E.I. Ostashev, who came to approve the act of commissioning the 31st site, the head of the 2nd department P.M. Grigoryants and others, died in the fire. A total of 76 people died and 53 were injured.

Rescue teams collected the wounded and carried out the corpses. Firefighters and paramedics worked. The wounded were taken to the hospital at the 10th site. Most of the buses were burnt and poisoned by vapors of fuel components. But the doctors did not know the composition of the fuel and therefore could not treat. Only after persistent demands were they informed of the composition of the components.

The next day, a government commission headed by L. I. Brezhnev flew to the test site. The commission included A.A. Grechko, D.F. Ustinov, K.N. Rudnev, V.D. Kalmykov, I.D. Serbin, A.M. Guskov, G.M. Tabakov, G.A. Tyulin. During the investigation, the chairman of the government commission, L.I. Brezhnev, said: "We will not punish anyone, all the guilty have already been punished."

On a rainy day, in the presence of a government commission, the testers were buried in the soldiers' park in the city. Relatives and friends wept, comrades-in-arms wept, and nature itself mourned the dead, who fulfilled their military duty to the end, with mean Kazakhstani raindrops.

Some of the wounded (10 people), including the head of the range, Major General Gerchik, were sent to Moscow to the Main Military Hospital. N.N. Burdenko, where they were on long-term treatment and underwent many operations. As the commander of the communications platoon of the test regiment, A.V. Maslov, who was then a senior lieutenant, recalls, Konstantin Vasilyevich, throughout the entire treatment, having severe burns himself, tried with all his might to support everyone with his father’s kind word and deed. Someone at home was not all right, everyone went to him for advice, in which he did not refuse anyone. Maslov recalls that the new one, 1961. all the victims of the disaster met together: “General K.V. Gerchik gathered us all in one of the chambers. His wife, a sensitive and sympathetic woman, helped him in organizing the holiday. And Konstantin Vasilyevich himself was not easy. He was called several times to talk about the disaster. Despite Brezhnev's promise not to punish anyone, they still looked for the culprit, trying to make Gerchik as such.

The question of who is to blame for this catastrophe is being asked to this day. It's hard to answer it. One could blame the chief designer of the control system of the new, recently created in Kharkov, OKB B.M. Konoplev, whose complex circuit worked with interference, did not have protective interlocks against unauthorized launch, and allowed untimely operation of the electropneumatic valve. But he paid with his life for an unfinished scheme, and the arms race did not allow it to be finalized in a hurry. It is also difficult to blame the young head of the new department, P.M. Grigoryants, for not removing unnecessary people: try to command in the presence of a whole cohort of high authorities. You can blame Yangel, who agreed to carry out risky operations on a semi-emergency rocket, which had a deadline at the start, with broken membranes, and there was not even an instruction to drain the fuel components, but he was given tough deadlines from Moscow. Is it possible to blame Nedelin, who, as chairman of the commission, authorized many days of work without rest, did not observe security measures himself and dragged others along with him? Did he understand the dangers of the work? Apparently he understood. General Gerchik also understood this when he removed unnecessary people. But they themselves, accustomed to delve into all the details of the case, accustomed to the danger in the war, did not consider it possible to retire in an acute situation of trials, sharing the danger with their subordinates. When Nedelin was asked to leave for a safer place, he said: "Am I not the same officer as the others?" In addition, Nedelin was also not free in his actions, he was constantly pressured from Moscow, demanding to "commemorate" the October holidays and the international conference of communist parties. Even at the start, he received two calls from Moscow. And even without this, the Cold War pressed. The "missile shield" was supposed to prevent it from becoming "hot" (the Americans at that time were developing and testing two new ICBMs "Titan" and "Minuteman" and adopted the Polaris SLBM), and when fear is being whipped up, it is difficult to keep cool . Thus, the main culprit is the Cold War, the arms race, the psychology of intimidation. In such an environment, we worked and everyone thought that getting rid of the third world war, which threatened the world with an apocalypse, depended on his personal work, diligence, initiative and knowledge.

Konstantin Vasilyevich, apparently, did not relieve himself of his share of responsibility for the catastrophe, was painful about the discussion of this topic and, if possible, avoided it. But no one blamed him. At the test site, we discussed this catastrophe many times with various specialists, and I did not hear a single accusation against him. Yes, this is understandable. All polygon equipment worked normally, the calculations were prepared in the design bureau and at industrial enterprises. The State Commission supervised the tests. The designers of the rocket were sure that a two-stage ICBM, created on the basis of single-stage RSD, would not cause much trouble. But there are no trifles in rocket technology. It was between the first and second stages that all the ties and malfunctions ended up, which eventually led to a disaster. However, none of this would have happened if it were not for the rush of the arms race. Everything new requires development, thorough testing in real conditions and reflection, which requires time and attention to all the little things and plots, to all scenarios.

May 5, 1961 Major General Gerchik was appointed Deputy Chief of the Main Staff of the Rocket Forces - Head of the Central Command Post, later Head of the Central Command Center of the Commander-in-Chief of the RV - Deputy Chief of the Main Staff of the RV for combat control. Konstantin Vasilievich left the training ground, not getting along very well with his successor. Ordinary testers came to him and warmly escorted him to a new duty station. He was respected and appreciated at the training ground. When, at one of the solemn meetings in the House of Officers, naming the previous chiefs of the training ground, his successor, naming the name of Gerchik, said that he had been removed for the disaster on October 24, the hall, in the form of protest, hammered his words with friendly applause that did not stop for a long time. Ordinary people know their bosses better.

Gerchik had to organize a permanent Central Command Post and control system of the Strategic Missile Forces, to determine the main directions for the development of the control system. From the consoles and displays made by innovators, they began to move on to the development of an automated control system. In 1961 forces of military teams developed a draft design of an automated system for transmitting combat orders, and in 1962. prototype samples of the main technical means of this system were made. Based on the results of tests of mock-up samples and on the initiative of the Strategic Missile Forces, the government adopted a resolution on carrying out work in industry to create an automated control system for RV.

22.3.1963 Major General Gerchik was appointed chief of staff - deputy commander and member of the Military Council of the 50th Missile Army, the largest in the Rocket Forces. The army included 9 missile divisions and 2 training centers and was deployed on the territory of Belarus, the Baltic republics, Smolensk, Novgorod, Kalinin and Kaliningrad regions. The army headquarters was located in Smolensk.

The Missile Army Directorate, created on the basis of the Air Army Directorate, did not have experienced rocket specialists, and Konstantin Vasilyevich set the task of making it a highly professional operational control body. He developed a fundamentally new system of operational and combat training of staffs and troops. He personally and with the help of specialists taught the officers of the army administration, headquarters of formations and units in rocket science. He conducted a number of operational-tactical exercises on the actions of army troops under the conditions of active enemy influence in positional areas. The chief of staff was a highly demanding commander, he valued professionalism, diligence, the initiative of his subordinates, and he himself was an example in service and life. In 1968 Gerchik is given the military rank of lieutenant general.

5.7.1972 Lieutenant General Gerchik was appointed commander of the 50th Missile Army. He introduced unexpected visits to each division for a detailed study of the business and moral-psychological qualities of the leadership of formations and units, as well as the state of affairs in them. The commander demanded a deep understanding of the essence of combat readiness, combat command and control, the ability to educate and train personnel, and to find the main link in the work. Those who did not like the commander's demands had to leave. The army troops carried out large-scale measures to increase the survivability of missile systems and command posts. Gerchik prepared the army for combat operations in any situation and enemy actions. In a short time, the Smolensk army became one of the best in the Rocket Forces. Its experience was disseminated in other associations of the Strategic Missile Forces. 13.2.1976 KV Gerchik was awarded the rank of Colonel General.

Gerchik - Chairman of the Military Council of the Army. He was the chairman of the State Commission for testing the Temp-2S mobile missile system, chief designer A.D. Nadiradze. Konstantin Vasilyevich has always actively participated in public and state work. He is a delegate to the IX Congress of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan (1959), the XXVIII Congress of the Communist Party of Belarus (1975). XXV Congress of the CPSU (1976). Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus (1974-1978), member of the bureau of the Smolensk regional party committee, deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR (1959), Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR (1975), deputy of the Smolensk City Council of Working People's Deputies (1967, 1971), Smolensk Regional Council of Deputies workers (1973). K.V. Gerchik - candidate of military sciences (2.2.1967). Awarded 14 orders and 25 medals, including: two Orders of Lenin (29.7.1960, 21.2.1974), Order of the October Revolution (21.2.1978), two Orders of the Red Banner (21.2.1942, 22.2.1968) , Order of the Red Banner of Labor (17.6.1961) - for launching Yu.A. Gagarin into space, Order of Kutuzov 3rd degree (27.5.1945), two Orders of the Patriotic War 1st degree (14.07.1947, 1985), three Orders of the Red Star (02/09/1943 - for military distinctions, 11/3/1953 - for long service, 12/21/1957 - for launching the first satellite), the Order of the White Lion, 2nd degree of Czechoslovakia (5/5/1975).

Colonel-General Gerchik was transferred to the reserve on August 2, 1979. to the Sevastopol RVC of Moscow. For many years he was the chairman of the Interregional Council of Veterans of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. K.V. Gerchik died on June 24, 2001.

I became closely acquainted with Konstantin Vasilievich already in Moscow, when he was elected chairman of the interregional Council of Veterans of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, and I am a member of the bureau of the Council of Veterans. We met with him at the bureau, at meetings of veterans, at solemn and anniversary events, while working on articles and books. Konstantin Vasilyevich was a good organizer, a patriot of the Motherland, space and Baikonur. He scrupulously and meticulously prepared events and documents, tried to help the veterans of Baikonur, was demanding of himself and the members of the bureau. He showed perseverance in achieving his goals. Sometimes stubbornness turned into stubbornness. He could be persuaded, but only from several approaches, and even better using several authoritative, in his opinion, people, again from many approaches. He usually thought about an important decision for a long time before giving the green light to its implementation. And this decision is usually reasonable and balanced. However, if it was necessary to make a decision with a shortage of time, he acted decisively, sometimes on the verge of adventurism. He was stingy to the point of pettiness when it came to material substances. I remember how I "knocked out" two badges from him for the leadership of Baikonur before going to the anniversary of the test site. I succeeded on the third try. He constantly quarreled with the editors and publishers of our books because of every ruble, every book. At the same time, he was very generous in organizing his anniversaries. On his eightieth birthday, he had many comrades and friends in Baikonur, at the headquarters of the Rocket Forces, and in the 50th Rocket Army. The speakers spoke warmly about Konstantin Vasilyevich, highly appreciating his activities, although they emphasized that his character was not sugar. He really was inaccessible to the point of arrogance, but more often he was kind and simple, empathizing with people in their worries and ready to help. He lived the hard life of an honest man. He is survived by his son, daughter and grandchildren.

May 5, 1961 By order of the Minister of Defense, Colonel Alexander Grigoryevich ZAKHAROV was appointed head of the training ground.He was born on February 20, 1921. in Moscow. Russian. In the Armed Forces of the USSR from September 15, 1938. Called up by the Soviet RVC of Moscow. Education: 2nd Artillery Special School of Moscow, 1st Moscow Red Banner Artillery School named after. L.B. Krasina (15.9.1938-5.10.1940), Artillery Orders of Lenin and Suvorov Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky (6.1945-24.2.1950), three-month academic artillery courses at the Artillery Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky, department for the improvement of combat officers (6.1-22.4.1955). The first officer rank of lieutenant was awarded to him on 10/5/1940. Member of the Komsomol since 1936. While studying at the 1st UIA, he was deputy political instructor and political instructor of the battery. He was elected a deputy of the Moscow City Council of Working People's Deputies on 3.1939. He began his officer service on October 5, 1940. commander of a topographic reconnaissance platoon at the regimental school of the 462nd Corps Artillery Regiment in the Belarusian Military District.

Member of the Great Patriotic War as part of the fronts: Central, Bryansk and 1st Belorussian (6.1941-5.1945). 22.6.1941 he is the chief of staff of the division of the 420th cannon corps artillery regiment of the 3rd army, then from 8.1942. 1st Assistant Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff of the same regiment (since September 23, 1943, the regiment was transformed into the 295th Guards Army Cannon Artillery Regiment of the 3rd, then the 8th Guards Army of the 1st Belorussian Front). Slightly wounded on September 18, 1943. on the Desna River. He graduated from the war as a major (8/23/1943). For military distinctions he was awarded: two Orders of the Red Star (31.7.1942, 15.9.1944), Orders of the Patriotic War 2nd and 1st degree (2.9.1943, 4.7.1944), Order of Suvorov 3rd degree (11.2.1945) ), the Order of the Red Banner (May 29, 1945), the medal "For the Capture of Berlin" and others.

After graduating from the academy F.E. Dzerzhinsky Lieutenant Colonel (12.07.1945) Zakharov was appointed to the disposal of the Chief of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. From 12.4.1950 he is a senior officer of the 3rd department, from June 8, 1950 - the 10th department, from May 4, 1953 - the 7th department of the organizational department of the Main Organizational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

November 30, 1954 colonel (5/23/1951) Zakharov was appointed deputy commander (understudy) of military unit 57246. After completing the courses in early April 1955. The Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense offered Colonel A.G. Zakharov the post of chief of staff of the NIIP-5 being formed. During a conversation in the GUK, as Nesterenko recalls, Zakharov did not give consent to this appointment. 22.4.1955 he was appointed head of the 1st faculty of the Rostov Higher Artillery Engineering School (military unit 86608).

However, on July 25, 1958. Colonel Zakharov - Chief of Staff of NIIP-5 MO. He worked in this position for less than two years and on April 15, 1960. was appointed head of the 27th training artillery range (code name for intercontinental missile formations) in Razdolny, near Blagoveshchensk (military unit 43189). After the tragedy at the 41st site of NIIP-5 and the injury of Major General Gerchik, Colonel Zakharov was called to the training ground and from 10/30/1960. entered the temporary execution of the post of head of NIIP-5. Before him, from October 25 to October 29, 1960, this position was held by the chief of staff of the range, Major General of Artillery G.E. Efimenko. After the launch of Gagarin on April 12, 1961. on the central square of the village, Colonel Leninsky Zakharov received from the Marshal of the Soviet Union K.S. Moskalenko the Battle Banner of the training ground (based on a decree of 1.2.1961).

On May 5, 1961, simultaneously with the appointment of Major General Gerchik to a new position, Colonel Zakharov was appointed head of the training ground by order of the Minister of Defense. Zakharov's deputies were: Major General G.E. Efimenko (Colonel A.M. Voitenko), Colonels D.Kh. Chaplygin, N.V. .Bokov (M.F. Zhuravlev, A.P. Dolinin, A.A. Kurushin), A.P. Dolinin, F.A. Gorin, K.V. Svirin, S.D. Ivanov (B.A. Lando), A.E. Ivashchenko, V.A. Mkrtychan. During the period of command of the Zakharov range (10/30/1960-12/03/1965), a significant expansion of the range and the tasks it performs accounted for. During this time, many structures were built and began to operate: a combat launch station on the 31st site with a launch position for R-7A ICBMs (8K74 products) and an oxygen plant, two MIKs and a residential town (1960); 51st site with a starting position for testing small-sized R-9 ICBMs (8K75 products) and a single-point control unit at the 53rd site (1960); a launch complex at the 60th site of three mine launch sites for testing products 8K64U and MIK (1962); a launch complex of three ground launchers (PU) on the 75th site with a MIK and a residential area (1962, 1963); mine launch complex of three launchers at the 70th site for testing products 8K75 (1962); launch complex at the 67th site of two launchers for testing ICBMs R-36 - products 8K67 (1963); a launch complex at the 90th site of two ground launchers for testing ICBMs of the 8K81 and MIK product (1963. 1964); Launcher at the 41st test site for the new 8K66 missile. but used to launch PH products 65C3, 11K65 (1963); the launch complex of the 80th site of three mine launchers for testing 8K64 products. 8K67, 8K81 (1964, 1965). The construction of other starting and technical positions for testing products 8K82, 8K84 was being completed. They built measuring point No. 3 (1963).

To ensure work at these facilities, new departments and units were formed. 1.9.1961 on the 31st site, the 100th training center (Colonel M.P. Vishnevsky) was formed to prepare units of the Strategic Missile Forces for combat duty. May 31, 1962 the 3rd Directorate was formed - military unit 63670 (engineer-colonel M.S. Kulta) for testing the solid-propellant ICBM 8K713 (disbanded on 04/07/1964). December 15, 1962 the 4th directorate (engineer-colonel V.I. Menshikov) was formed to test the universal missiles of V.N. Chelomey. 7.4.1964 the 3rd department of measurements and mathematical processing was created - military unit 68526 (engineer-colonel F.A. Gorin).

1.6.1964 the 5th Directorate was formed - military unit 12420 (engineer-colonel V.A. Nikolayonok) to perform tasks in the interests of the air defense and the Navy. New OIICH arrived at the polygon. 1.8.1961 the 627th RP, reorganized into OIICh-43 - military unit 44150 (lieutenant colonel N.A. Fridman), arrived at the 61st site from Kozelsk to the 2nd Directorate at the 61st site. In October 1961 The 676th Missile Regiment arrived at the 1st Directorate at the 71st site from Tatishchevo. October 13, 1962 On August 2, 1963, the 311th Missile Regiment, reorganized into OIICH, arrived at the test site from Tatarsk to test Chelomey products. (lieutenant colonel A.A. Zablotsky). May 1, 1964 formed and became part of the 4th Directorate of the OIICH under the command of Lieutenant Colonel I.A. Pruglo. In 1963 IP-3 was formed (lieutenant colonel A.G. Blinov).

Such a large expansion and reorganization of the site required great efforts from the command to control the construction and installation of technical structures, communications and residential campuses, the formation and training of test departments, units and subunits, logistics, education and discipline. A lot of effort was spent on the formation of new units and subunits. It was especially difficult to provide the landfill with the necessary states. In those years, each staff unit had to be defended before a staff commission that came from Moscow. It was called knocking out the states. Long before the arrival of a huge commission at the training ground, thorough preparations were carried out in the departments and units. Labor costs were compiled, justification of new requirements, every word of the report was honed, rehearsals of reports and answers to questions were held. A huge staff commission of generals and colonels of the Organizing Committee of the General Staff first of all looked for extra people and reduced them. Then we started talking about expansion. These were real battles, where all means are good. Sometimes they told stories of regular battles worthy of Ilf and Petrov. For example, they told how Alexander Grigorievich Zakharov punched through the staff of an automobile regiment. They told him: “On what basis are you asking for an automobile regiment? There are only three regiments in the entire Soviet Army. You're not supposed to." Alexander Grigorievich went to the board and began to draw: “This is the 10th site, at 30 km2 I, at 50 - 41st and 31st, even further 60th, on the left flank 81st. It is necessary to carry people, goods and food. You can’t do without it, you understand?!” The Commission unanimously said: “We don’t understand!” Alexander Grigoryevich again took up the chalk: “This is the 10th platform” - and repeated word for word the first report. And so it was 5 times in a row! The staff commission, driven to exhaustion, surrendered. So an auto regiment appeared at the training ground (lieutenant colonel A.G. Blinov) - the 4th in the Soviet Army! In the same way, apparently, a hospital appeared at the training ground - one of the three largest in the Union! What not to do at the training ground!

During the command of the training ground, Zakharov launched about 250 ICBMs and PH - products 8K71, 8K72, 8K72K. 8K74, 8K78, 8K64, 8K64U, 8K75, 8A92, 11A57, 11A59, 8K67, 8K81, 8K78M, 65S3, 11K65, 8K78M. Spacecraft such as "Vostok", "Venus", "Zenith", "Mars", "Moon", "Poljot", "Electron", "Zond", "Strela", "Meteor", "Voskhod" were put into space.

Zakharov, unlike the first two chiefs of the training ground, was more closed, had less contact with the personnel, and did not always get along with the environment. I preferred office methods of work. Once, in order to protect himself and the headquarters from visitors, Zakharov ordered through the central entrance to the headquarters not to let anyone in except himself and his deputies. For everyone else working at the headquarters, a small door was opened at the end of the building. And outsiders were practically forbidden to enter, since it was necessary to order a one-time pass from the one you were going to, and issue it through the pass office. This was perceived as a desire to fence off subordinates and the concerns associated with them, which caused great discontent among the officer corps of Baikonur. In the very first days, caustic tales and anecdotes appeared, as well as conversations: why do we need a headquarters at all if it serves itself? But the protests were ignored. The case helped. A meeting was to be held at the headquarters with the participation of S.P. Korolev. By the appointed hour, Sergei Pavlovich drove up to the headquarters, but the soldier at the entrance did not let him through, explaining that the head of the training ground had ordered not to let anyone in except himself and his deputies. The king was furious. He got into his car and left for the 2nd platform. From there he called Zakharov and said that his legs would not be at the headquarters, and announced that he was holding a meeting at the 2nd site in half an hour. Zakharov had to urgently get into his Volga and rush to the site. How he apologized to Korolev, they did not tell. But tomorrow this regime was cancelled.

However, it should be noted that A.G. Zakharov deeply delved into the issues of testing rocket and space technology and expressed his opinion without fear of sidelong glances and reproaches from the chief designers and high-ranking leaders. When the leadership of the country at the end of 1964. decided to close a number of projects of the design bureau of V.N. Chelomey (UR-700, LK-11), Alexander Grigorievich strongly opposed such a proposal and, together with Academician M.V. Keldysh, was able to prove the need to continue testing the UR-500 rocket ("Proton" ), which is currently the most reliable and economical rocket in the world.

A.G. Zakharov was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR (3/3/1963), a delegate to the XI Congress of the CPC of Kazakhstan, a member of the Central Committee of the CPC (1961), a delegate to the XX Congress of the CPSU. He has been Major General of Artillery since May 9, 1961. In March 1965 Zakharov was appointed assistant to the Civil Code of the Russian Revolution for universities. Candidate of Technical Sciences (May 6, 1966), Associate Professor at the Department of Combat Use of Special Weapons (July 12, 1967). Lieutenant General February 23, 1967 In stock since 2/6/1971. Currently director of the Scientific and Technical Center of the Academy of Natural Sciences. Awards: Order of Lenin (for launching Yu.A. Gagarin, 17.6.1961), Order of Suvorov 3rd degree (11.2.1945), Order of the Red Banner (for military distinctions, 29.5.1945), two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor (for distinction in testing special equipment on July 29, 1960, and for the successful completion of tasks for the construction of special facilities in 1959-1965, July 29, 1966), two Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st degree (for military distinction, on July 4, 1944 and in honor of 40 anniversary of the Victory, 1985), Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class (for military distinction, 02/09/1943), three Orders of the Red Star (two for military distinction, 07/31/1942, 09/15/1944 and one for long service, 3.1 1.1953 ) and medals.

A.G. Zakharov had to experience a lot in life. But, like a real warrior, he steadfastly endures difficulties on his way, giving knowledge and strength to people, science, and the country's defense capability even today.

Alexander Alexandrovich KURUSHIN was appointed head of NIIP-5 MO on 12.3.1965.from the position of Deputy Head of NIIP-5 for research and testing. He was born on March 14, 1922. in Vyatka. Russian. He graduated from the 10th grade of a secondary school in the village of Murashi (1939), two courses of the Dnepropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute (5.1941), Mortar and Artillery School named after. I.V. Stalin (Krasnodar) (crash course 15.10.1941-17.5.1942), Military Artillery Engineering Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky, Faculty of Reactive Weapons. During the years of study at the academy - the Stalin scholarship holder. Received a diploma with honors on 4.1955. and the right to choose a place of service. I chose the landfill KapustinYar.

In the Armed Forces of the USSR - from 12.8.1941. Called up voluntarily by the Oktyabrsky RVC of the city of Dnepropetrovsk. The primary officer rank of lieutenant was awarded on May 17, 1942.

Member of the Great Patriotic War as part of the fronts: Western (27.7.1942-26.11.1943) and 3rd Ukrainian (27.11.1943-9.5.1945). He began his officer service as the head of communications of the 3rd separate guards mortar battalion. During the war years he served as battery commander of the 28th Guards Mortar Brigade (since 11/27/1943). For military distinctions he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd degree (8/31/1944), the Order of the Red Star (4/13/1945) and medals, among which - "For the capture of Budapest", "For the capture of Vienna", "For the liberation of Belgrade".

After the war, the division's chief of staff, battery commander in the Transcaucasian Military District. After graduating from the academy, he chose to serve at GTsP No. 4 VM, where he served from 1955 to 1960. senior laboratory officer, deputy head and head of department. At the Kapustin Yar test site, A.A. Kurushin first tested the Korolev missiles, and then the Yangel R-12 and R-14 missiles. For the creation of special equipment 26.6.1959. Kurushin was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.

After the tragedy at Baikonur, on the recommendation of M.K. Yangel, the leadership of the Rocket Forces appointed Colonel Engineer (5/22/1959) Kurushin as the head of the 2nd Directorate of NIIP-5 MO (from 10/29/1960). Alexander Alexandrovich writes about the beginning of his activity in the management: “The situation in the management was difficult, and the tasks before me and the team were not easy. First of all, it was necessary to restore the moral and psychological situation in a very short time, instill confidence in people, organize the development of a whole system of necessary security measures and implement these measures by designers, manufacturers, builders, testers and all services of the test site. It was necessary to put into operation and carry out all the debugging and fitting tests on the second launcher of the starting position to ensure readiness, to launch the second missile from it; conduct training on the organization and technology of all pre-launch work at the starting position with real equipment; check and work out the new verification documentation submitted by the designers (instructions, technological schedules, etc.); clearly allocate responsibilities and require a thorough study and development of them by all participants in the test calculations from the control testers, test department and design bureaus. Careful preparation of the rocket and equipment gave its results. The second missile successfully left the launch on February 2, 1961, and on October 20, the ground-based missile system with the R-16 missile was put into service. This year, the 2nd Directorate conducted 26 missile launches. Already on November 1, three missile regiments prepared at the 41st site and a combat launch station at the 41st site were put on combat duty. July 13, 1963 the first launch of ICBMs in the Rocket Forces from the mine of the 60th site was carried out, and on July 15 the R-16U missile system with mine launchers was put into service. September 28, 1963 The 2nd Directorate, under the leadership of Colonel Kurushin, began flight tests of the heavy R-36 ICBM of the second generation of missiles. A.A. Kurushin was always at the workplace during the testing of missiles and at any hour of the day or night he assisted in carrying out the work. In total, under the command of Kurushin, the 2nd Directorate conducted 88 launches of ICBMs 8K64, 8K64U, 8K67. For launching Yu.A. Gagarin into space, Colonel Kurushin was awarded the Order of Lenin (17.6.1961).

12.6.1964 Colonel Kurushin was appointed deputy head of the 5th NIIP MO for research and experimental work, and from 12.3.1965. head of NIIP-5 of the USSR Ministry of Defense. He was awarded the academic title of Candidate of Technical Sciences (21.5.1965), the military rank of Major General of the Engineering and Technical Service (16.6.1965). The deputy chiefs of the test site A.A. Kurushin in different years were major generals A.M. Voitenko (V.T. Shirshov), V.G. .Voinov), colonel engineer A.P. Dolinin, colonel engineer, then major general A.S. Kirillov (colonel engineer V.A. Nikolayonok), colonel engineer, later major general I.M. Khomyakov , colonel engineer, later major general F.A. Gorin (N.M. Kalmykov), colonel engineer K.V. Svirin (engineer colonels Ya.D. Laventman, V.F. Popov), colonel V.S. Sumy , engineer-colonel B.A. Lando (engineer-colonels P.P. Svotin, I.K. Kirillov).

Under the command of General Kurushin, the range continued to develop. In 1965-1967. launch sites were built and put into operation: 130-132, 160-162, 170-179 OS for testing UR-100 missiles; 81st right for testing the UR-500 missile; 80 for testing products 8K67 and 8K81; 102, 140, 141 OS for testing the product 8K67. In 1968 a grandiose technical and launch complex was built for testing the lunar manned rocket and space complex N1-L3 (launch pad 110 right, MIK-112, residential town, etc.). In the same year, sites 160-165 were built and reconstructed, and sites 191-196, 241-246 were built for basing global missiles R-36 orb.

The formation of departments and units continued to solve new problems. 25.8.1966 the 5th department for testing spacecraft of the "IS" and "US" type was formed (engineer-colonel P.S. Baturin). 25.1.1967 the 6th Scientific and Testing Directorate (Colonel E.G. Moiseev) was formed to organize and conduct tests under the H-1 program. 10.7.1971 the 8th test department of universal missiles was formed (engineer-colonel I.D.Trashchenkov).

25.8.1966 as part of the 2nd Directorate, OIICh military unit 74829 (lieutenant colonel Loktionov A.G.) was formed to test products 8K67 "OS" (R-36) and later 15A15, 15A16, 15E601. A part was stationed at sites 37 and 42, a command post at the 102nd site. 25.8.1966 as part of NIU-5, the OIICh military unit 46180 was formed (lieutenant colonel B.S. Mansurov). 2.11.1966 formed as part of NIU-6 OIICH-47 - military unit 12471 (lieutenant colonel V.T. Shirshov). The NIU-6 also included: a separate operational and technical battalion - military unit 77178 (Major S.G. Ozhiganov), a separate security battalion - military unit 73796 (lieutenant colonel P.M. Domolazov), a reference communications center "Cod" ( Major A.V. Chekhomov). November 1971 as part of the 2nd Directorate, an OIICH was formed - military unit 34200 (lieutenant colonel-engineer V.A. Kondratyev). She was stationed at the 43rd, then at the 37th test site BRK 15P014. The head of the training ground, General Kurushin, was engaged in the formation, placement, arrangement and training of these units, handed them combat banners after the reorganization. As part of the measuring complex in 1966-1967. a temporary mobile railway IP (lieutenant colonel V.A.Salov) was formed to provide measurements for the 8K82K product with deployment in Barnaul. It was built in the area of ​​the 3rd lift, mounted and put into operation by the IP (lieutenant colonel I.N. Vinogradov) with a high-precision external trajectory single-point multi-parameter system "Vega" for testing new products of combat and space subjects. In 1970 instead of a mobile IP, a stationary IP-10 was built and put into operation near Barnaul (lieutenant colonel I.I. Vanichkin). In 1972 built on the third ascent and put into operation by the IP (lieutenant colonel V.Ya. Sizonenko) with the universal deep space complex "Saturn" to provide measurements and control in satellite orbits and to the Moon.

The settlement of Leninsky, the main residential base for the officers of the training ground, expanded and developed. It was transformed into the city of Leninsk, which has everything necessary for people's lives. The airfield, railway lines and other transport arteries and infrastructure were reconstructed. Enterprises were built and reconstructed: a dairy plant, a bakery, factories for sausages and fruit water, a military state farm and other enterprises. The cultural, sports and commercial base expanded. The Decade Stadium, a gym, an indoor swimming pool and other sports facilities were built. The number of shops, cafes, canteens has increased. New schools, a technical school, a branch of the Moscow Aviation Institute, and a city library were opened.

At General Kurushin, about 670 MBR and PH were launched - 8K78, 8K78M, 8A92, 11A57, 65C3, 11K65, 8K82K, 8K64, 8K75, 8K67, 8K84, 11A510, 8A92M, 11A511, 11K67, 11K69, 11A52, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20, 15A20 11A511L, 15A14, 15A15, 15A30. Numerous spacecraft such as Luna, Strela, Voskhod, Zenit, Molniya, Proton, Zond, Venera, 8F673, Meteor, US (Flight) were launched, Soyuz, VKZ (high-altitude space probe), IS, Mars, Salyut.

At the same time, demonstrations of rockets and space technology were organized to the leadership of the USSR and the Union republics, French President Charles de Gaulle, leaders of the socialist states (1966), French President Pompidou (1970), leaders of Czechoslovakia (1969). A.A. Kurushin was awarded the Order of Lenin for the successful completion of a special task of the Soviet government (i.e. for the successful organization of demonstrations of equipment, 11/24/1966); Order of the Red Banner of Labor for achievements in combat and political training, maintaining troops in high combat readiness and mastering new complex military equipment (23.2.1971)

26.2.1973 Lieutenant General Kurushin was appointed Deputy Head of Research Institute-4 of the USSR Ministry of Defense for scientific work. For achievements in combat and political training, maintaining troops in high combat readiness and mastering new complex military equipment He was awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Lieutenant General Kurushin was transferred to the reserve on August 17, 1982, and was excluded from the lists of NII-4 of the USSR Ministry of Defense on September 3, 1982. Lives in Moscow.

Alexander Alexandrovich Kurushin - member of the Kzyl-Orda regional committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan (2.1966), member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan (elected at the XII and XIII congresses of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan). Delegate of the XXIV Congress of the CPSU (2.1971). Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR (3.1966-1975), deputy of the Bolshevo-1 village council (1975). He has been a lieutenant general of the ITS since May 20, 1971, laureate of the Lenin Prize "For testing new types of rocket technology" (April 21, 1964), Honored Worker of Science and Technology of the Kazakh SSR (May 15, 1969), Candidate of Technical Sciences (May 21, 1965) , Senior Researcher (February 16, 1968), author of 86 scientific papers.

I had to meet at Baikonur with Alexander Alexandrovich on issues of scientific work when he was his deputy head of NIIP-5 for research and experimental work. In one case, he listened to reports for the upcoming scientific and technical conference, among which was my report, in another case, I presented him with a report on the research done and its main results as a responsible executor. In both cases, he held the hearing in the conference room of the headquarters of the test site. Alexander Alexandrovich carefully listened to the reports from beginning to end, asked questions indicating his understanding of the issues presented, gave practical advice on how to strengthen the report and where to place emphasis or what to pay attention to in the conclusions and recommendations of the research. He helped many people. He somehow helped my family in restoring justice, compensating for the apartment allocated to me, but taken away for more “necessary” people. He is well versed in literature and publishing and is good at selecting material to create interesting books. Thanks to his activities, it was possible to collect materials, publish and distribute several books, such as “Through the Eyes of Eyewitnesses”, 2nd and 3rd editions, “Legendary Baikonur” and others. Alexander Alexandrovich Kurushin, despite the big health problems, continues to work in the field of promoting the outstanding achievements of our people in rocket and space technology and the patriotic education of the younger generation.

Valentin Illarionovich FADEEV was the head of the 5th NIIP of the USSR Ministry of Defense from 26.2.1973. to 8.8.1978He was born on February 17, 1922. in Samarkand. Education: 10 classes of secondary school No. 115 in Odessa, 1940; Odessa Artillery School. M.V. Frunze (accelerated course, 1.9.1940-20.7.1941), Higher officer artillery school, Semenov (1944); Military Academy. M.V. Frunze (in absentia, 1952); four-month Higher Academic Artillery Command Courses of the Military Artillery Academy of the Red Army (April 20, 1958-August 20, 1958), Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR. K.E. Voroshilova (the main faculty with honors and a gold medal, 1967). In the USSR Armed Forces from September 1, 1940. He took the military oath on November 5, 1940. The primary officer rank of lieutenant was awarded on 20.7.1941. He began his officer service as a commander of a fire platoon of the 35th reserve artillery regiment in the Siberian military district on 1.8.1941. At the end of the OAU, at the disposal of the commander of the Siberian Military District, where until April 1942. in 35 ZAP, first the commander of the firing platoon, then the deputy commander of the battery.

Member of the Great Patriotic War. He fought in the fronts: Karelsky as commander of the battery 928 AP of the 367th rifle division (25.4-20.8.1942); Transcaucasus (Black Sea Group of Forces) - assistant chief of staff of artillery 1 ° CK (21.11-30.12.1942); North Caucasian - the commander of the battery 377 AP RVGK (12/30/1942-7/25/1943); 3rd Belorussian - division commander of the 162nd howitzer ABR 10 ADP RVC (4.10.1944-9.5.1945). For five months in 1943 he was treated for illness in EG No. 3490 in Makhachkala, then, after a sick leave, he studied at the BOASh in the city of Semenov, Gorky Region. Then he fought in Belarus, Lithuania and East Prussia near the cities of Kibartai, Shtallupenen, Gumbinnen, Friedland, Gotland, Koenigsberg, Pillau. Contused 8.4.1945 in the battles near Koenigsberg. The war ended with the rank of captain (since 11.5.1944).

From 6.1946 V.I. Fadeev - assistant chief of the 1st department of the artillery headquarters of the Baranovichi military district, from 26.8.1947. in the Belarusian military district, the division commander of the 1009th Guards. howitzer artillery regiment of the 120th Guards Rifle Division.

From 26.8.1947 serves in the artillery headquarters of the Belarusian Military District in the following positions: officer of the departments of combat training, operational training of artillery headquarters, combat training in radio engineering, senior officer (8.12.1950) of the department of combat training for regimental and divisional artillery, operational and combat training, combat training of ground and military anti-aircraft artillery, operational intelligence department. From 1.11.1955 headed the operational intelligence department of the artillery headquarters of the Belarusian Military District. December 8, 1956 promoted to the rank of colonel. After studying at the WAACC, Colonel Fadeev was appointed commander of the 43rd Guards Heavy Mortar Brigade of the 10th ADP RVGK of the Belarusian Military District.

From September 30, 1959 in the Rocket Forces, was appointed commander of the 22nd engineering brigade of the RVGK. From 4.8.1960 - commander of the 37th RD. Major General since May 9, 1961. From September 1965 Major General Fadeev student of the main faculty of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR. K.E. Voroshilova, at the end, 7.8.1967. appointed deputy commander of the 5th separate missile corps (was a member of military unit 35564).

18.6.1968 dismissed from his post and appointed head of military unit 56653. From 09/08/1969 - commander of the 7th Guards. separate RK. June 27, 1970 - appointed first deputy commander, member of the Military Council of Guards. RA (Omsk).

From 26.2.1973 to 8.8.1978 Major General Fadeev - Head of the 5th NIIP of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Lieutenant General since November 4, 1973. V.I. Fadeev’s deputies at that time were major generals V.T. Shirshov, D.G. Bolshakov (A.N. Morozov), A.D. (A.F. Dubovik), Colonels V.F. Popov, V.A. Nikolayonok (V.A. Bululukov), N.M. Kalmykov (V.I. Kataev), V.S. K.V. Boyadzhan), I.K. Kirillov (Yu.P. Sakharov).

During his command of the training ground, the OIC (Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Lenkevich) was formed as part of the 4th Directorate. About 400 ICBMs and PHs were launched - items of the 8K78M, 11A57, 11K69, 11A511, 8K82K, 8K67, 8K84, 15A20, 15A14, 15A15, 15A30, 15A511U, 8K78, 8A92M, 15A16, 15A35 types.

After serving at Baikonur, Lieutenant-General Fadeev was appointed senior lecturer at the Department of Missile Forces and Artillery of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces. K.E.Voroshilova.

He is a delegate of the XXII and XXV Congresses of the CPSU, the XIV Congress of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, a deputy of the Volyn Regional Council of Workers' Deputies (3.1961-6.1965), the Kirov City Council of Workers' Deputies (3-9.1968), the Beloyarsk Regional Council of Workers' Deputies (4-12.1969), the Omsk Regional Council of Working People's Deputies (13.7.1971 - 1.3.1973), Kyzyl-Orda Regional Council of Working People's Deputies (17.6.1973), Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR (15.6.1975).

Awards: two Orders of the Red Banner (2.1.1945, 22.2.1968), Order of the Red Banner of Labor (19.9.1974), Order of Alexander Nevsky (2.3.1945), Order of the Patriotic War 1st degree (4.6.1945), Order of the Red Stars (for long service, 12/30/1956), medals, including: "For the defense of the Caucasus", "For the capture of Koenigsberg" and others. Laureate of the State Prize of the USSR for work in the field of special equipment (14.4.1977).

Dismissed to the reserve on 10/25/1983. Excluded from the lists of the Academy on November 16, 1983.

Died on February 18, 1990. in Moscow.

Major-General Yuri Nikolayevich Sergunin was appointed head of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on August 8, 1978.. from the post of Deputy Commander of the Guards Missile Army of Omsk. Born on 27.8.1927 in the village of Korovino, Mord-Boklinsky district, Orenburg region, in the family of the chairman of the village council and a teacher of a rural school. Education: 10 classes at the 13th Kyiv Artillery Special School in Buguruslan; Kiev Order of Lenin twice Red Banner Artillery School. S.M. Kirov in the second category (without a diploma), 1948; two-year department of the party school at the 3rd Guards. airborne division 5.1952; Military Academy. M.V. Frunze (main faculty, 1961); three-month advanced training courses for officers at military unit 25576 (1962); ten-month Higher academic courses at the Military Engineering Academy of the Red Banner. A.F. Mozhaisky, department of regiment commanders, with honors (1966).

In the USSR Armed Forces from 21.7.1945. Called by the Buguruslan RVC of the Chkalovsk region. He took the military oath on September 16, 1945. While studying at KAU, he was assistant commander of the 33rd training platoon. The first officer rank of lieutenant was awarded by the commander of artillery of the USSR Armed Forces on September 21, 1948. He began his officer service on December 13, 1948. platoon commander of a battery of 76-mm guns in the 381st Guards. landing airborne regiment of the 31st Guards. Order of Kutuzov division of the 39th Guards. Airborne Corps of Vienna in the Carpathian Military District, Slavuta, Kamenetz-Podolsk region. Since November 29, 1951 commander of the 1st firing platoon, senior battery officer of 76-mm guns in his own regiment, then 57-mm self-propelled guns. The regiment became a paratrooper. 11/23/1955 led a battery of 82-mm recoilless guns of the 1st battalion. In this position, he participated in the fighting to suppress the counter-revolutionary rebellion in Hungary (10/28-11/10/1956).

From 1.9.1958 student of the Red Banner Order of Lenin and the Order of Suvorov 1st degree of the Military Academy. M.V. Frunze. After graduating from the academy, he was awarded the rank of major, and he began serving in the Rocket Forces as a division commander of military unit 43178, Slavuta. From 30.3.1963 - deputy commander of military unit 54155, from 21.8.1965 - deputy commander of military unit 33938, from 21.7.1966 - commander of a missile regiment, from 26.12.1966 - commander of the technical missile base in Zhangiztobe. This TRB in 1968. entered in the Book of Honor of the Military Council of the Russian Federation. Colonel from 5.8.1970 In 1972 appointed deputy commander and member of the Military Council of Guards. missile army, Omsk. Major General since December 15, 1972.

On August 8, 1978, he was appointed head of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Lieutenant General since October 30, 1978 His deputies at that time were: Major General V.T. Shirshov (V.A. Bululukov), A.N. Morozov, V.T. Parshikov (E.S. Golosov). V.F.Popov (V.K.Korchak), A.F.Dubovik (A.M.Dolgov), V.I.Kataev, colonels K.V.Boyadzhan, Yu.P.Sakharov, Yu.M.Sergeev .

Under Yu.N. Sergunin, three missile regiments of the 98th missile brigade were reorganized into OIICh (28.2.1980). 17.3.1980 formed OIICH (lieutenant colonel S.V. Limont) to test the product 11K77. To test this rocket, a new large MIC was built at the 42nd and 45th sites with two launch positions for 11K77 products. Formed on 1.4.1982. OIICH-278 - military unit 01678 (lieutenant colonel-engineer G.P. Pomarev) for joint operation with the Khimmash Research Institute of the created universal stand-start complex 17P31 for testing the product 11K25 "Energy". Part became part of the 6th NRU. In 1982 OIICH-282 was formed - military unit 03079 (lieutenant colonel N.M. Shumilin) ​​of the landing complex of the Buran orbital ship. In June 1982 the 5th NRU was formed (colonel-engineer V.A. Nedobezhkin). About 140 launches of ICBMs and PHs of thirteen different types and modifications were carried out.

Sergunin was a deputy of the District Council of the city of Slavuta, Khmelnitsky Region (1962-3.1963), the Orenburg Regional Council of Workers' Deputies (1973), the Omsk City Council of Workers' Deputies (15.6.1975 and 19.6.1977), the Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR (24.2.1980). Member of the Svetlinsky RK CPSU (21.12.1970), Dombarovsky RK CPSU (21.12.1970), bureau of the Leninsky CC of the CP of Kazakhstan (15.12.1978), Kzyl-Orda Regional Committee of the CP of Kazakhstan, candidate member of the Central Committee of the CP of Kazakhstan (1981). Delegate of the XXVI Congress of the CPSU.

Awards: Order of Alexander Nevsky (12/18/1956), Order of the Red Banner of Labor (03/04/1975), Order of the Badge of Honor (08/29/1969), Order for Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR, 3rd degree (02/18/1981 ), medals. Laureate of the USSR State Prize (10/23/1981).

Sergunin was very active in various fields - from participation in meetings and awards of training ground veterans to inspections of units and departments. He introduced the mandatory appointment of the commanders of the polygon units to the post of heads of departments. He planted construction in an economic way. He developed a great activity in decorating the city with various space monuments. Each unit commander was ordered to create a monument on his own. As a result, the city received a large number of monuments, steles, memorial signs, stands, and mosaics. 14.3.1983 Lieutenant General Sergunin was placed at the disposal of the head of the Main Directorate of Space Facilities of the Moscow Region. Dismissed to the reserve due to illness on July 19, 1983. Excluded from the lists of military unit 11284 4.8.1983. Died December 8, 1993. in Khimki, Moscow Region.

Yuri Averkievich ZHUKOV 14.3.1983 appointed head of the 5th NIIP of the USSR Ministry of Defense.He was born on June 17, 1933. in Slutsk, Bobruisk region. Russian. Education: 10 classes (1951), Riga Higher Air Force Engineering School (1956), Military Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky (in absentia, 1979). In the Armed Forces of the USSR from 31.8.1951. Called by the Soviet RVC in Riga. The primary officer rank of junior lieutenant was awarded on September 2, 1952. Technician-lieutenant from 28.1.1955.

He began his officer service as the head of the aircraft and aircraft engine maintenance group (1.6.1956). Since November 16, 1957 aircraft technician of the detachment, from 11.4.1958. Deputy Air Squadron Commander for Operations. 11.8.1958 appointed engineer for special ground equipment.

From 7.9.1959 serves in the Rocket Forces. Appointed senior assistant to the head of the special and artillery weapons service for special weapons (military unit 18282). From 12/14/1960 senior lieutenant Zhukov, deputy commander of the unit for missile weapons - chief engineer of military unit 18282, then in the same unit, deputy commander of the unit for engineering and missile service, deputy commander for missile weapons of the unit commander. Since October 31, 1967 deputy commander of the unit, 3.7.1968 major Yu.A. Zhukov was appointed commander of military unit 18282. From 16.7.1971. Deputy commander of military unit 14245. June 1, 1973 led the 49th Guards. missile division. Colonel since 1.6.1973. (early). Major General since April 25, 1975. Yu.A. Zhukov December 18, 1975 appointed First Deputy Commander - Member of the Military Council of the 50th Missile Army (Smolensk).

14.3.1983 appointed head of the 5th NIIP of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Lieutenant General from 3.2.1984. His deputies at that time were: Major General V.A. Bululukov (G.F. Lysenkov, E.I. Smelik), A.N. Morozov (B.I. Zhuravlev), E.S. Golosov (A. Ya. Naudzhyunas), V.K. Korchak (N.A. Borisyuk, V.A. Menshikov), A.M. .D. Kovalchuk), V.I. Kataev (Colonel K.P. Petrov), V.V. Pogosov (G.K. Doroshek), Colonels Yu.

Under Yu.A. Zhukov, the following were formed: in 1982. 7th National Research University of Special Space Systems (Colonel V.A. Grafinin); 1.8.1983 OIICH-290 - military unit 08325 (lieutenant colonel V.P. Efimov) to ensure the operation of the technical complex of the reusable RKK; 19.6.1987 OIICh-326 - military unit 55056 (lieutenant colonel L.T. Baranov) as part of the 7th NRU being formed. About 300 ICBMs and PHs of sixteen types and modifications were launched. During these years, tests began on a new generation of powerful PH. 13.4.1985 the first launch of the 11K77 product was carried out from the 45th site. May 15, 1987 the first launch of PH Energia with a DOS facility with UKSS was carried out. Testing of a new generation of ICBMs of various classes and the launch of spacecraft continued.

Yuri Averkievich - delegate of the XXVII Congress of the CPSU, delegate of the XVI Congress of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan.

Awards: Order of the October Revolution (1978), Order of the Red Star (1968) and medals. 21.1.1989 transferred to the reserve.

Yuri Averkievich retired because of his honesty. During the years of the so-called perestroika, political games and divisions into groups and groups began, and he perceived everything that was happening too directly. He retired to the reserve in Riga, where the parents of his wife Regina Yurievna, a school teacher by profession, lived. Soon "reforms" began with the collapse of the country. He had to leave for Smolensk, where he lives to this day. Yu.A. Zhukov is the only head of the test site who lives outside of Moscow and the Moscow Region. He is the chairman of the Council of War and Space Veterans in Smolensk.

Major-General Aleksey Leontyevich KRYZHKO was appointed to the post of head of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on 2.1.1989.from the post of first deputy commander of the missile army (Chita). He was born on 7/7/1938 in the village of Pobednoe, Crimean region. Ukrainian. He graduated from the Simferopol Automobile and Road Technical School (1957), the Saratov Artillery Technical School (1961), VIKI. Mozhaisky. In the Rocket Forces since 1962. Group commander, chief of staff, missile regiment commander, deputy commander, missile division commander, deputy missile army commander.

Kryzhko's deputies during the command of Baikonur were major generals E.I. Smelik, B.I. Zhuravlev, S.V. Limont, A.Ya. Doroshek, Colonels N.I. Kozlovsky, V.A. Menshikov, E.D. Kovalchuk, K.P. Petrov, I.N. Buran.

During Kryzhko's service at Baikonur in December 1989. NRU were transformed into centers for testing and use of space facilities: 1st NRU - into the 1st center (Colonel I.A. Forsyuk), 3rd NRU - into the 4th center (Colonel K.P. Petrov), 4 - NIU - to the 2nd center (Colonel V.A. Grafinin), 6th NIU - to the 3rd TsIPKS (Colonel N.I. Kovzalov). Under him, about 120 ICBMs and PHs of eleven different types and modifications were prepared and launched.

4.9.1992 he was seconded to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Major General from October 29, 1984, Lieutenant General from November 1, 1989. Deputy of the Supreme Council of the Kazakh SSR, 1990

Kryzhko ended his service at Baikonur suddenly. During the collapse of the USSR after the Belovezhskaya Accords, he left for Ukraine and today lives in Kyiv.

Aleksey Alexandrovich SHUMILIN was appointed head of the 5th State Test Cosmodrome by the order of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev No. 867 dated August 24, 1992. and by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces of the CIS Air Marshal E.M. Shaposhnikov No. 0768 dated September 4, 1992.Born on 2.3.1936. in Leningrad. Russian. Education: 10 classes of secondary school No. 117, Leningrad Air Force Engineering Academy. A.F. Mozhaisky, Faculty of Engineering (3.1959), two-month academic courses at this academy (1973). In the Armed Forces of the USSR from 28.8.1953. The primary officer rank of technician-lieutenant was awarded on October 9, 1956, when Shumilin was a third-year student at the academy.

After graduating from LVVIKA them. A.F. Mozhaisky A.A. Shumilin was appointed to Baikonur, where for 38 years he spent his entire service from lieutenant engineer to lieutenant general. From 5.2.1959 he is a test engineer of the 1st department of the 4th team of the 1st group (product complex); from 10/16/1959 - head of the 1st department of the 4th team of the 1st group of the OIICh of the OIR service; from 7.6.1961 - engineer of the 11th department (complex tests) of the 1st department of the NOIR service, military unit 11284; from 31.5.1962 - test engineer; from 30.1.1963 - senior test engineer of the 3rd department of the 1st department of the 1st PS; January 13, 1967 - head of the 1st laboratory, from September 24, 1968 - deputy head of the 6th department of the 6th PS (military unit 96630); March 17, 1969 - Deputy Head, from January 30, 1971 - Head of the 8th Department; from 25.6.1973 - head of the 3rd department of the 1st NRU; 22.9.1975 Deputy, from 31.7.1980 - head of the 1st NRU. A.A. Shumilin - colonel-engineer since 14.6.1976, major-general-engineer since 12.16.1982. From 21.1.1989 he is the deputy head of the 5th NIIP of the USSR Ministry of Defense for NIIR.

Aleksey Alexandrovich is from a galaxy of talented test veterans of Baikonur, keepers of its best traditions and glory. Having started his career as a tester as an engineer in the department of the test and launch control system for the electrical equipment of the R-7 rocket by S. P. Korolev, he participated in almost all tests of rockets, launch vehicles and spacecraft of this company, in the preparation of spacecraft under the ASTP program, in preparation and launch of Soyuz spacecraft in the Interkosmos manned program and others, in the preparation of automatic spacecraft for various purposes, in scientific research and military scientific work.

In the biography of Alexei Alexandrovich there is a significant day when he had to show all his professional skills, determination and courage to save human lives and equipment of the starting position. On September 26, at the start of the 2nd site, preparations were underway for the launch of the carrier rocket and the Soyuz-T spacecraft with cosmonauts V.G.Titov and G.M.Strekalov. Major General A.A. Shumilin, commander of the combat crew for preparation and launch (“shooting”), and A.M. Soldatenkov, deputy chief designer of TsSKB Progress, were at the command post of the launch complex at the observation periscopes. The set of launch readiness of the launch vehicle and launcher was being completed. Just about ready to be issued 1 minute.

I was the head of the telemetry department, a participant in this launch, and was in the telemetry technical building No. 152 of the 1st IAP as the head of the telemetry reporting group on launch preparation, launch and flight of the product and spacecraft. I was accompanied by telemetry technicians from my department, flight attendants and representatives of the information analysis department. The reporting was carried out on remote video control devices of the RTS-9 telemetry stations and a video control television device showing the rocket at the start. The launch was at night. And now, 1.5 minutes before the start on TV, we see how the flame was lit at the bottom of the start, where the side blocks were recessed. The picture is almost the same as when the engines are ignited during a normal start. I asked SEV if there was a minute readiness to see if there was a break in communication. Did not have. So, fire. Approximately the same, but more responsible task was solved by Shumilin and Soldatenkov. In a matter of seconds, they had to make a decision: to issue an emergency cosmonaut rescue (CAS) command, or other decisions were possible.

The CAC command is issued in the event of a PH accident at the start or at the beginning of the flight via a radio link from the Saturn system located on site 23 (more than 20 km from the start). To issue a command, the shooter and the technical leader must almost simultaneously issue a password command on different telephone lines to turn on the SAS command. The issuance of the SAS command is carried out by two operating officers, each sitting in separate isolated cabins. They must almost simultaneously press the emergency rescue button. Such a complex system was invented so that if one launch manager thinks that it is necessary to give a command, and the other does not agree with this, then the ACS will not turn on. If one officer-operator mistakenly accepts the password command, and the other does not, then the CAC command will not pass. In a matter of seconds, Shumilin and Soldatenkov assessed the situation and decided to issue a password. Commands were given. Young lieutenants A. Mochalov and M. Shevchenko, sitting on the Saturn, reacted instantly and almost simultaneously pressed the SAS buttons. Having formed, these two teams launched the command radio link, and the radio team flew aboard the spacecraft.

We on the IP-1 saw how the engines of the emergency rescue system, located on top of the spacecraft around the nose cylindrical glass, worked, and the cabin with the astronauts abruptly flew up, descending several kilometers from the launch. Space communications operators heard astronauts swearing, who did not have time to understand what had happened and that they were born a second time. If Shumilin and Soldatenkov had lingered for a few more seconds, it would have been too late to save them. 27 seconds after the start of the fire and, in my opinion, 9 seconds after the SAS command, the rocket exploded. I had a direct reportage connection with Saturn, from where I was reporting to Moscow. I delayed issuing a fire report at the start until the issuance of the CAC command. No one could help anyway, and the panic over the connection would have risen great (I knew this from experience). When I reported about the fire at the start and about the operation of the SAS, dozens of questions from all authorities really rained down, which I was tired of answering. Chief among them: what about the astronauts? I could only answer that the SAS worked, and where and how the astronauts landed and how they feel, I did not know until the search party found their cabin in the dark.

But the shocks did not end there: the fire at the start continued, the fire on the posterns and communications rushed to the underground fuel tanks. The fire brigade fought the fire, sparing no life. Shumilin, being in the underground bunker of the launch pad along with the launch crew and unable to leave it because of the raging flames and explosions, led the fire extinguishing via communication, giving clear commands to the emergency rescue team: where to direct the main efforts, where to punch holes in the ptern what extinguishing agents to use. Firefighters had to break through the concrete top of the postern to block the spread of fire to the containers. The battle with the fire lasted several hours until the fire was defeated. If the fire broke through to the fuel tanks, then an explosion would inevitably occur and the launch would be completely destroyed. Closely located MIK and IP-1 could be affected. The calmness, courage, determination and professional knowledge of Major General Shumilin made it possible to save the lives of two cosmonauts and expensive launch equipment. Even during the fire, we looked at paper tapes of open registration and found out that from the moment the SAS was triggered to the explosion of the rocket, 9 seconds passed (if my memory serves me right). These seconds separate astronauts from death.

This story had a continuation. On the night after the accident, my deputy Lieutenant Colonel M.A. Tsuprik was the commander of the shifts on duty at the command post for the control of measurements and mathematical processing. Late at night, the GUKOS officer on duty called him and, asking about the accident, asked if there was a television recording of the accident. Tsuprik replied that there is. Then the duty officer demanded to transfer the recording via space communications. Tsuprik replied that it was impossible to do this, since foreign stations could receive the transmission from the satellite and the accident would be shown to the whole world. The colonel from Moscow left the connection, but after a while he called again and said that the head of the Main Directorate of Space Facilities of the USSR Ministry of Defense, Colonel-General A.A. Maksimov, demanded to transfer information. Then Tsuprik demanded a written order. This had an effect and the calls from Moscow stopped. But in the afternoon they still forced me to transfer the recording of the accident, however, already via a cable communication line.

It turned out that General Maksimov found out about the accident late at night and, apparently, was very frightened in hindsight, imagining what could happen to him if the astronauts died. Questions followed about what the SAS line is, through what channels it passes, whether it is switched or not, how it is checked, who participated in issuing commands, and so on. An order was received to create and work out documentation on the SAS, to ensure its ultra-reliable functioning. Apparently, the head of GUKOS realized what a thin thread his fate hung on and that it was a great happiness that this thread did not break. The unknown lieutenants of the SAS operators became heroes. Maximov personally arrived at the cosmodrome and handed them a nominal watch. I don’t remember what gift Shumilin received (I think it was a gun), but later he was also awarded the medal “For Courage in a Fire”, which he certainly deserved and probably deserved even more. He received more later. I spoke in such detail about these few tens of seconds and about what happened later, because these seconds can tell more about a person than a multi-volume biography. They contain the quintessence of the character and skill of the tester, the will and determination of the commander, responsibility and commitment. No wonder cosmonauts V.G. Titov and G.M. Strekalov, arriving at Baikonur, did not forget to give Alexei Aleksandrovich huge bouquets of flowers and gifts, recalling that fiery night as if they were their second birth.

From 4.9.1992 to 4.10.1997 General Shumilin - Head of the 5th GIK of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Lieutenant General June 9, 1993 From 1.8.1993 - Member of the Military Council of the Constitutional Court.

During the command of the cosmodrome, Shumilin's deputies were: major generals V.A. Grafinin, S.V. Limont (L.T. Baranov); Colonels A.N. Orlov (S.I. Tikhonov), E.M. Kushnir (D.I. Chistyakov), L.P. Goryushkin (E.F. Kapinos), V.A. Dmitrienko (N.I. Ablyalimov), I.N. Buran (A.Z. Dysin), V.P. Gorbunov, and at the head of the control centers were: Yu. .Tomchuk). P.T. Baranov (A.N. Glukhov, D.T. Chifin), G.I. Paul, G.D. Dmitrienko (N.I. Ablyalimov). A.P. Kovalev (G.A. Pozigunov, V.G. Faikov), M.N. Fonin (S.P. Smirnov).

Alexey Alexandrovich is a real long-liver of Baikonur. He served at Baikonur for more than 38 years (February 5, 1959-January 5, 1997), giving his great testing experience for the benefit of our Motherland ... During his service at the 1st National Research University (until 21.1. service, made more than 730 launches of ICBMs and PH (products 8K71, 8K72, 8K74, 8K72K, 8K78, 8K75, 8A92, 11A57, 11A59, 8K78M, 11A510, 11A511, 11A511L, 11A511U, 8A952M, also a large number), AMS, ALS. He took part in the vast majority of these launches. Of these launches, more than 180 were made by his department when he was the head of the 1st NRU, i.e. organized testing and preparation of PH and spacecraft for launch and acted as a shooter at the launch. In addition, more than 110 launches of nine different types and modifications of ICBMs and PHs were carried out at the cosmodrome he headed (09/04/1992-11/04/1997).

Alexei Alexandrovich commanded the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the era of general collapse and destruction. Honor and praise to him for the fact that in these difficult conditions he managed to save Baikonur. He, as a patriot of Baikonur, rallied like-minded people around him, became a generator of ideas, looked for difficult solutions from seemingly hopeless situations, went to the highest levels of government in Russia and Kazakhstan, between which the world's first cosmodrome hung. He actively participated in the development of the status of the cosmodrome. Under him, the international cooperation of the cosmodrome is expanding, the operability of the cosmodrome facilities is being maintained and restored.

Lieutenant-General A.A. Shumilin has awards: Hero of Socialist Labor (December 4, 1987, "For a great contribution to the development and flight testing of manned spacecraft and complexes, the implementation of international space programs"); two Orders of Lenin (September 8, 1982, for merits in the preparation and implementation of long-term and international flights of spacecraft and stations, and December 4, 1987), along with the Hammer and Sickle gold medal; Order of the Red Banner of Labor (January 15, 1976, for the successful completion of a special task of the USSR government - the ASTP program); Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 4th class (February 21, 1996, for a great contribution to the successful completion of the 1st stage in the field of manned space flights under the Mir-Shuttle program); medals "For Courage in a Fire" (12.1983, "For skillful leadership in extinguishing a fire, preventing an explosion, saving socialist property, showing courage and courage"); "For impeccable service in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree; medal of the MPR "60 years of the Armed Forces of the MPR" (12/29/1982); badge of distinction of the Aerospace Forces "For space exploration" 1st degree (30.9.1996). Laureate of the USSR State Prize for work in the field of space research (January 23, 1979).

The order on the dismissal of Lieutenant General A.A. Shumilin to the reserve was signed on 29.7.1997. He handed over the post of head of the cosmodrome on 10/5/1997. For great services to Baikonur, he was given the opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the launch of the first Earth satellite with his comrades. The commander-in-chief of the Strategic Missile Forces and his deputies, the leadership of the RSA and the rocket and space industry, veterans of Baikonur (about 50 people, including the author of this article) arrived at the celebrations. During the celebrations, the Soyuz PH was launched from pad 2. All guests were present at the launch at the IP-1 observation post. The veterans especially remembered the solemn march before flying to Moscow. Before departure, we decided to say goodbye to Baikonur and walk along the Baikonur Arbat to the square. Having learned about this, the command of the cosmodrome decided to surprise us on the spur of the moment. On the central square of Baikonur in front of the headquarters building, staff officers and the orchestra of the training ground were lined up. When we entered the square, the orchestra struck a march. We had to remember our parades on this square, and, lining up in ranks, to the applause of the lined up officers, we walked along the square. In front of the headquarters building, Alexey Alexandrovich joined us, leading our column. It was very touching and solemn. Such moments are remembered for a long time.

Alexey Alexandrovich was excluded from the lists of the unit (cosmodrome) and transferred to the reserve from 12/21/1997. Currently works at RSC Energia named after S.P. Korolev. He is one of the heads of operations for the rocket segment of the Sea Launch International Rocket and Space Complex, which involves Russia, the United States, Ukraine and Norway, and lives and works in the United States for many months of the year.

Leonid Timofeevich BARANOV was appointed head of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on 1.8.1997.from the post of chief of staff of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. He took office on October 5, 1997. He was born on June 7, 1949. at the Mukhinskaya station of the Shimanovsky district of the Amur region. Russian. Education: 10 classes at the Mukhinskaya secondary school (1966), Khabarovsk command and technical school with a degree in Unmanned aerial vehicles (1969), four-month retraining courses for officers at military unit 25806 (11/20/1969-1.4.1970). Military Engineering Institute of the Red Banner. A.F. Mozhaisky, Faculty No. 1 (1976), Military Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky, command faculty (1982).

In the USSR Armed Forces from 31.8.1966. Called by the Shimanovsky RVC of the Amur Region. He took the military oath at KhKTU on 10/30/1966. The primary officer rank was awarded on 26.7.1969.

He began his officer service as a technician of the 3rd department of military unit 25851 in the system of the 12th Main Directorate of the USSR Ministry of Defense. After graduating from VIKI them. A.F. Mozhaisky was appointed head of the team of the 48th OIICH at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. After studying at the command faculty of the Military Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky 25.6.1982 appointed head of the OIICh group at the 31st site, from 12.12.1986. deputy commander of the same unit. 11/25/1987 appointed commander of military unit 55056 as part of the 7th NRU. From 1.11.1989 Deputy Chief of Staff of the 5th GIK of the USSR Ministry of Defense, from September 26, 1992. Head of the 2nd TsIP KS, from 18.1.1994 Chief of Staff - Deputy Chief of the 5th GIK of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Colonel since February 1, 1990 Major General since December 23, 1994 Lieutenant General since December 20, 1998

Awards: Order of the Red Star (28.8.1986), Order of Military Merit (30.9.1995); medals: "For Distinction in Military Service" 1st class (31.03.1994), "For Impeccable Service in the Armed Forces" 2nd and 1st class, commemorative. Badge of distinction of the VKS.

I met with Leonid Timofeevich Baranov at Baikonur, when he received the cosmodrome from A.A. Shumilin and in 2000. at the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the cosmodrome. He made a good impression on me. Reviews from comrades in Baikonur were also the most favorable. Saying goodbye to him at the Krainy airport in Baikonur, I wished him to keep the traditions of Baikonur veterans. But as time goes on, Baikonur is transferred more and more to civil organizations. It will probably be another Baikonur, but the main thing is that it has not become a strange Baikonur for people who have done so much to create it, expand and glorify our Motherland from cosmic heights visible to the whole world. I would like the new generations of Baikonur residents to know its history and people, from the chiefs of the test site to ordinary test engineers, without whom the cosmic glory of the Motherland is impossible.

Marks of Excellence commanders Current Commander

Major General Golovko Alexander Valentinovich

Notable commanders

Major General Maidanovich Oleg Vladimirovich (2007-2011)

Cosmodrome Plesetsk

Location
Coordinates	62.959722 , 40.683889  /  (G) (O) (I)
Founded

Coordinates : 62°57′35″ N sh. 40°41′02″ E d. /  62.959722° N sh. 40.683889° E d.(G)(O)62.959722 , 40.683889

spaceport Plesetsk(1st State Test Cosmodrome) - Russian cosmodrome. Located 180 kilometers south of Arkhangelsk, not far from the Plesetskaya railway station of the Northern Railway. The total area of ​​the spaceport is 176,200 hectares.

The administrative and residential center of the cosmodrome is the city of Mirny. The number of personnel and population of the city of Mirny is approximately 28 thousand people.

The territory of the cosmodrome belongs to the municipality of the city district "Mirny", bordering on the Vinogradovsky, Plesetsky and Kholmogorsky districts of the Arkhangelsk region.

Description

The Plesetsk Cosmodrome is a complex scientific and technical complex that performs various tasks both in the interests of the Russian Armed Forces and for peaceful purposes. In its composition:

• launch complexes with launchers of launch vehicles;
• technical complexes for the preparation of space rockets and spacecraft;
• multifunctional refueling and neutralization station (ZNS) for refueling launch vehicles, upper stages and spacecraft with propellant components;
• 1473 buildings and structures;
• 237 power supply facilities.

The main units located in the launch facility are:

• Launcher;
• Cable filling tower.

From the 1970s to the early 1990s, the Plesetsk cosmodrome held the world leadership in the number of rocket launches into space (from 1957 to 1993, 1372 launches were carried out from here, while only 917 from Baikonur, which is in 2nd place).

Among the currently operating cosmodromes, Plesetsk is the northernmost cosmodrome in the world (if you do not include sites for suborbital launches among the cosmodromes). Situated on a plateau-like and slightly hilly plain, the spaceport covers an area of ​​1,762 km², extending from north to south for 46 kilometers and from east to west for 82 kilometers, centered on the geographic coordinates 63 , 41 63°00′ s. sh. 41°00′ E d. /  63° N sh. 41° in. d.(G)(O).

The cosmodrome has an extensive network of roads - 301.4 km and railways - 326 km, aviation equipment and a first-class military airfield, which allows the operation of aircraft with a maximum landing weight of up to 220 tons, such as Il-76, Tu-154, communications , including space.

The railway network of the Plesetsk cosmodrome is one of the largest departmental railways in Russia. From the railway station Gorodskaya, located in the city of Mirny, passenger trains depart daily on several routes. The length of the farthest of them is about 80 kilometers.

Story

Construction

The history of the cosmodrome dates back to January 11, 1957, when the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on the creation of a military facility with the code name "Angara" was adopted. The cosmodrome was created as the first military missile formation in the USSR, armed with R-7 and R-7A intercontinental ballistic missiles. The formation of the connection began on July 15, 1957. On this day, the first commander of the Angara, Colonel Grigoriev M.G., signed order No. 1 on his assumption of office. Now this day is celebrated as an annual holiday of the Plesetsk cosmodrome. The choice of location for the positional area was largely determined by the tactical and technical characteristics of the R-7 ICBM. First of all, we took into account:

• the reach of the territories of potential opponents;
• the possibility of conducting and monitoring test launches in the Kamchatka region;
• the need for special secrecy and secrecy.

Based on these considerations, this sparsely populated area in the north-west of the RSFSR was best suited.

From 1957 to 1964, launch and technical positions were erected in the north in the shortest possible time, and missile systems with intercontinental ballistic missiles were put on combat duty. In February 1959, the Angara object was renamed the 3rd Training Artillery Range. Until the end of 1964, four launchers for R-7A missiles, three launchers for R-9A missiles, and seven launchers for R-16U missiles were built, put into operation and put on combat duty. the need to expand the scale of space activities of the USSR.

According to a number of sources, in the coming years, the Plesetsk cosmodrome will be transferred from the Russian Ministry of Defense to the jurisdiction of Roscosmos, and the operation of its facilities (as well as the Baikonur cosmodrome) will be entrusted to FSUE TsENKI,.

Heads of the cosmodrome (polygon)

Events

Incidents leading to loss of life

Infrastructure

The cosmodrome has stationary technical and launch (SC) complexes for all types of domestic launch vehicles (LV) of light and medium class:

• 4SK - "Soyuz" (launcher 17P32 No. 1, military unit 13973, site 41, decommissioned and dismantled).

The cosmodrome consists of six centers:

1. 1st Center Designed for testing RSC light class. Its composition:

• two launchers of the launch vehicle "Cosmos-3M" (pl. 133);
• two PU LV "Cyclone-3" (pl. 32);
• one launcher launcher "Rokot" (pl. 131);
• one technical complex (TC) for the preparation of spacecraft and launch vehicles.

The center prepares and launches spacecraft of communication systems, geodesy, navigation and scientific devices.

2. 2nd Center designed for testing and use of medium-class RSC. The composition of the Center:

• three launchers LV "Soyuz" and "Lightning-M";
• three TCs for spacecraft and launch vehicle preparation.

The center prepares and launches communication satellites, natural resource monitoring devices, space materials science and biological research.

3. 3rd Directorate designed to provide measurements of test launches of combat missile systems and spacecraft launches. Consists of six measuring points (IP):

• IP-1 - the city of Mirny;
• IP-2 - the city of Mirny;
• IP-3 - the city of Naryan-Mar;
• IP-4 - the city of Severodvinsk;
• IP-6 - the city of Mirny;
• IP-8 - the city of Norilsk.

4. 4th Test Center designed to test missile systems of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Its composition:

• five mine-type launchers;
• two starting positions of the RS-12M PGRK;
• four technical positions (TP) for the preparation of ICBMs.

Conducts tests and technical support of mobile and stationary missile systems.

5. Information and analytical center necessary to analyze the results of ground and flight tests and ballistic support for launches. It consists of five technological lines for processing and analyzing on-board information, uniting more than 60 jobs.

6. Research and testing center presentation and control of information is intended:

• to present materials on the testing of Russian strategic missiles;
• to control U.S. strategic offensive weapons (START) testing.

The spaceport also includes:

• seven assembly and test buildings for assembly and testing of rocket and space technology;
• oxygen-nitrogen plant;
• two refueling and neutralization stations for refueling spacecraft propulsion systems with fuel components and compressed gases and neutralizing toxic substances;
• measuring complex with information and computing center;
• airfield "Pero";
• combined heat and power plant;
• more than 600 km of transport routes;
• electrical, heat and water supply systems.

The construction of launch and technical complexes for launch vehicles "Angara" on the basis of SC "Zenit" is underway. The Soyuz Launch Complex No. 4 (military unit 14056, site 43) was upgraded for the Soyuz-2 launch vehicle.

The cosmodrome provides part of the Russian space programs related to defense, as well as national economic, scientific and commercial launches of unmanned spacecraft.

The impact of the cosmodrome on the environment

Over the years of operation of the cosmodrome on the territory of the Arkhangelsk region, it has had (and continues to have) a certain impact on the natural environment by building launch facilities and service facilities, infrastructure. Rocket stages, often with remnants of poisonous fuel (asymmetric dimethylhydrazine), which fall on nearby areas populated by people, have some influence. On the territory of the Arkhangelsk region there are 11 "fields of impact" - 6 areas for the fall of separable parts of missiles and 5 areas for the fall of separable parts of intercontinental ballistic missiles: "Dvinskoy", "Siya", "Pinega", "Koida", "Moseevo", "Bull" other . Due to the decrease in the number of launches, there is a decrease in the load on the fall areas. The Bychye district has not been activated since 1977, Novaya Zemlya since 1979, Kupriyanovo since 1981, Dvinskoy since 1998. Only the areas of "Koida" and "Moseevo" were used for launches of space rockets "Cyclone". The remaining areas were used for the fall of the side blocks of the Soyuz, Molniya, Soyuz-2 launch vehicles. As of 2006, two types of intercontinental ballistic missiles "Topol" and "Topol-M" were launched at the cosmodrome, for which 2 impact areas were used: "Siya" and "Pinega". On the territory of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug there are 9 such "fall fields" ("Naryan-Mar", etc.), in the Komi Republic - 4: "Pechora", "Ust-Tsilma", "Railway", "Vashka".

Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide are good nitrogen fertilizers. At the Baikonur and Plesetsk cosmodromes, the rapid growth of grass in the areas of local spills of these rocket fuel components has been repeatedly noted. Dinitrogen tetraoxide in nature quickly dissolves in water with the formation of nitrous and nitric acids, which are neutralized by reacting with salts of weak acids present in the soil (primarily carbonates). Exhausts of rocket engines practically do not contain harmful components, since, due to the need to achieve maximum parameters, almost complete combustion of fuel occurs in them, the products of which are carbon dioxide, water and molecular nitrogen. Reliable data on the large-scale harmful effects of high-boiling components of rocket fuel are not available not only in the Arkhangelsk region and Kazakhstan, but also in relation to all other regions of the world bordering spaceports where rockets using such fuel were launched. There are no references to such data due to lack of data. In particular, there are no such statistics for Florida (Cape Canaveral spaceport), California (Vandenberg base) and French Guiana (Kourou spaceport), although they have long launched rockets with fuel based on hydrazine derivatives and nitrogen tetraxide. The lack of statistics on the harmful effects of this fuel on people in developed democratic countries indicates some exaggeration of this problem in Russia and Kazakhstan. There are no references to the statistics of the harmful effects of the use of long-term fuel in developed democratic countries due to the lack of such statistics.

Currently, launches of Cyclone-2/3 and Kosmos-3M carrier rockets have been stopped at the cosmodrome, and launches of various modifications of the Soyuz launch vehicle operating on kerosene and liquid oxygen and a small number of launches of the Rokot launch vehicle are mainly carried out. . In this regard, the volumes of possible emissions of dimethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide have decreased many times compared to the Soviet period.

Sources

Bashlakov A. A. Plesetsk Cosmodrome: 50 years of history ... - M .: Novosti Printing House, 2007. - P. 6-7. - 34 s.

see also

Notes

Links

• Railway lines of the Plesetsk cosmodrome on the "Site about the railway" by Sergei Bolashenko
• Plesetsk Cosmodrome - Information Portal of the Cosmodrome
• This is how the launch of the Meridian 2 communications satellite from the Plesetsk cosmodrome on May 22, 2009 looked like from Vologda, from Petrozavodsk and from Moscow (photo)
• (Google)
• "Northern Cosmodrome" TV studio of Roscosmos
• design organization participating in the design for the construction and reconstruction of buildings and structures in the city of Mirny

Launch complexes of the cosmodrome Plesetsk
Operating
Unused	Pl. No. 32 Pl. No. 35 Sq. No. 41 Pl. No. 131 Sq. No. 157 Sq. No. 158 Sq. No. 161 Sq. No. 163 Pl. №167

Spaceports for orbital launches of spacecraft
Australia(ASRI): Woomera Brazil(BAF , BKA): alcantara Barreira do Inferno

On February 12, 1955, the government decided to build the Baikonur cosmodrome. The well-known builder, Major General G.M. Shubnikov.

“... From the shore of the Universe, which has become the sacred land of our Motherland,” wrote the Chief Designer of Rocket and Space Systems S.P. Korolev, “spaceships will leave more than once for unknown distances. Each of their flights and return will be a great holiday for our people, for all advanced humanity, a victory for Reason and Progress.”

The Baikonur Cosmodrome became the first mooring on the coast of the Universe. In 1954, the State Commission was established to select the site for the construction of the cosmodrome. The head of the Kapustin Yar test site, Lieutenant General of Artillery V.I., was appointed chairman of the commission. Vozniuk. After conducting reconnaissance of several regions of the country, the commission came up with a proposal to locate the cosmodrome in the desert region of Kazakhstan, the eastern Aral Sea, a few hundred kilometers from the village of Baikonyr. This place had a number of advantages over others: sparsely populated not only in the area of ​​​​the cosmodrome, but also along the route of launched rockets, flat semi-desert terrain, the presence of the largest Central Asian river Syr-Darya, passing near the railway line and highway, more than three hundred sunny days a year and, most importantly, the proximity to the equator, which makes it possible to use the additional speed of the Earth's rotation for launches.

On February 12, 1955, the government decided to build the Baikonur cosmodrome. The well-known builder, Major General G.M. Shubnikov. It is noteworthy that it was he who supervised the erection of the monument to the warrior-liberator according to the project of E.V. Vuchetich in Treptow Park in Berlin.

In January 1955, the first detachment of military builders arrived under the command of Senior Lieutenant I.N. Denezhkin. The creation of a production base began: concrete plants, mortar units, mechanized warehouses for sand and gravel were laid, sawmilling and woodworking production were organized. Simultaneously with the start of construction, the process of forming the very team of creators of the space harbor was going on.

The difficulties that the builders of the cosmodrome encountered were associated not only with harsh climatic conditions, but also with the disorder of life and, most importantly, with the extremely short construction time and the lack of any experience in creating such objects. The machines could not stand it, but the people survived.

One of the organizers and participants in the creation of the cosmodrome, M.G. Grigorenko recalled: “... Nowhere in the world has there been experience in the design and construction of such complex, in essence, unique structures and complexes as the spaceport. The requirements for accuracy and durability of structures were extremely high. Without daily ingenuity, creativity, engineering courage, without the ability to take risks, success would not have been possible. And, I think, it is no coincidence that the leading structure of the construction was front-line soldiers - people who went through the hard trials of the war, hardened in its crucible, people whom no difficulties could either frighten or stop.

Despite the most difficult conditions, in the first months, roads and railways were laid and construction of the main facility, the future first launch complex, began. To create it, it was necessary to raise about a million cubic meters of soil and lay over thirty thousand cubic meters of concrete.

Four months later, the launch facility was handed over for the installation of launch equipment. The first assembly and test building was commissioned within the established time frame.

On May 5, 1955, the construction of a residential settlement for cosmodrome testers began, which at different times had different names: Tashkent-90, the Zarya settlement, the Zvezdograd settlement, the city of Leninsk, and since December 1995, the city of Baikonur.

On June 2, 1955, the directive of the General Staff approved the organizational and staffing structure of the 5th Research Test Site (NIIP). This date was officially recognized as the birthday of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

By the end of 1955, the range included 26 units and separate subdivisions. An automobile battalion, an aviation unit, a security company and a military hospital were the first to be formed. A battalion of the reserve brigade of the Supreme High Command arrived at the training ground from Belokorovichi. Artillery Lieutenant General A.I. Nesterenko was appointed head of the 5th NIIP. The total number of workers at the site at the end of 1955 amounted to 1900 military personnel and 664 workers and employees.

In December 1956, the construction of the priority facilities of the first space harbor was completed. Finishing of ground equipment, preparation for testing missile systems began. By the beginning of the tests, there were 427 engineers and 237 technicians at the test site, of which 48% were under 25 years old and about 50% were participants in the Great Patriotic War. The total number of military personnel increased to 3600 people. Most of the testers underwent training and internships at factories producing rocket technology, at research institutes and design bureaus, at the Kapustin Yar test site.

On May 15, 1957, the first launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile R-7 designed by S.P. Korolev was made from the launch pad of the test site. The rocket consisted of a central block, four side blocks and a warhead, had a length of 32 m, a maximum diameter of the central block of 2.95 m, side blocks 19.8 m long with a maximum diameter of 2.95 m. 3 m. Launch weight up to 273 tons, thrust on Earth 3940 kN, flight range 8600 km.

At the first launch, the rocket flew 400 km. The launch was unsuccessful due to a fire in

tail compartment. The first and also unsuccessful launch of the Atlas ICBM in the United States took place in June 1957.

R-7, launched from the 5th NIIP on August 21, 1957, successfully worked out the active part of the trajectory and delivered the warhead to the specified area. Tests have shown that the R-7 rocket can launch an artificial Earth satellite into orbit.

October 4, 1957 at 22 hours 28 minutes 34 seconds Moscow time (October 5 at 00 hours 28 minutes 34 seconds Baikonur time) from launch pad No. 1 of the 5th NIIP, the R-7 rocket launched the world's first artificial satellite into low Earth orbit Earth (AES). The weight of the satellite was 83.6 kg. Thus began the countdown of the space age. The first AES lasted in space for 92 days, made 1400 revolutions around the Earth and covered a path of about 60,000,000 km.

On November 3, 1957, the second satellite launched from the cosmodrome into space, in the pressurized cabin of which was the dog Laika, the weight of the satellite was 508.3 kg.

At the end of 1957, the 5th NIIP included 1 assembly and test complex, 1 start, 15 measuring points (9 in Kazakhstan and 6 in the Russian Federation), bases for the fall of the first stage and the warhead. In December 1957, for the exemplary performance of military duty during the testing of rocket and space technology, a group of servicemen of the 5th NIIP received state awards.

In the United States, the Atlas ICBM flew 600 km in December 1957, and the first American satellite, Explorer 1, was launched on February 1, 1958 and weighed 8.3 kg. It fit in the palm of your hand, and the American press called it "orange".

In 1958, the development of the R-7 launch vehicle and its warhead for proving ground activities continued. The measuring complex of the cosmodrome is being equipped with new radio telemetry stations.

On May 15, the R-7 carrier rocket was launched, which put into orbit the third satellite weighing 1327 kg.

On July 2, 1958, Colonel K.V. was appointed head of the training ground. Gerchik, who previously headed the headquarters of the cosmodrome.

On August 17, an unsuccessful attempt by the United States to launch the Pioneer probe to the Moon began an exhausting race to the Moon of the United States and our state. Unsuccessful attempts to approach the Moon were also made by the United States on October 11, November 8 and December 6, 1958.

On September 23, at the 5th NIIP, an attempt to launch a spacecraft to the Moon with the help of the three-stage Vostok rocket created on the basis of R-7 ended unsuccessfully. Unsuccessful launches also took place on October 12 and December 3, 1958.

In 1958, 10 launches were made from the launch pad of the 5th NIIP (7 by the R-7 launch vehicle and 3 by the Vostok launch vehicle).

New, 1959 brought another victory in space exploration. On January 2, at 19:41:21 Moscow time, the world's first spacecraft launched to the Moon. For the first time, the second space velocity was achieved and the first artificial satellite of the Moon was created, the Luna-1 spacecraft was launched by the Vostok launch vehicle designed by S.P. Korolev, its mass was 1472 kg, the spacecraft passed 5000 km from the Moon. the stations of the measuring complex of the polygon received lunar signals along the entire path to the moon.

On March 3, 1959, the first automatic interplanetary spacecraft Pioneer-1, weighing 6.1 kg, was launched. It passed 60,000 km from the Moon instead of the planned 24,000 km.

In the autumn of 1959, the problem of delivering an apparatus to the Moon was solved for the first time. It was carried out by the Luna-2 station, launched on September 12. The Luna-2 station accurately entered the calculated orbit and on September 14 at 00:02:02 Moscow time reached the surface of the Moon in the region of the Sea of ​​Clarity, about 800 km from the center of the lunar disk. Ball and ribbon pennants were delivered to the Moon with the image of the Emblem of the Soviet Union with the inscription "USSR. September 1959. Duplicate pennants are now stored in the Museum of the cosmodrome.

After 20 days, on October 4, in order to photograph the far side of the Moon, the next automatic station "Luna-3" was launched from the 5th NIIP. The station photographed almost half of the surface of the lunar ball, two-thirds of the photographs made up the image of the far side of the moon. Based on photographs transmitted by the Luna-3 station, the first atlases and a map of the far side of the Moon were compiled in 1960.

During 1959, 16 launches were made at the test site, 14 of which were successful; the polygon measuring complex continues to develop; the second stage of tests of the R-7 missile at the test range with the required accuracy was completed.

At the end of 1959, 8,000 people already lived in the village of Zarya.

In January 1960, flight tests of the R-7 missile were completed at the test site and it entered service with the Strategic Missile Forces.

On May 15, preparations for a manned flight into space began with the launch of a satellite spacecraft by the Vostok launch vehicle. The launch vehicle "Vostok" had a length of 38.76 m, a launch weight of 287 tons, an initial mass of the 3rd stage of 12.5 tons. The mass of the payload launched into near-Earth orbit was 4.725 tons.

On July 29, 1960, the work of the landfill testers was appreciated. For successful testing of the R-7 rocket and in connection with the 5th anniversary, the test site was awarded the Order of the Red Star.

The second satellite ship, launched on August 19, 1960, had on board the first living "test" dogs Belka and Strelka. After 17 revolutions around the Earth, the ship landed in a given area. The "testers" normally endured the flight and landing. It was an important stage in the development of world cosmonautics.

On October 24, 1960, an accident occurred during the testing of a new R-16 intercontinental ballistic missile designed by M.K. Yangel. During electrical tests on a fueled rocket, an unauthorized launch of the 2nd stage engines occurred. As a result of the resulting fire and poisoning by vapors of fuel components, 76 servicemen and industry representatives died. Among the dead were 35 officers, 8 sergeants and 14 soldiers. Among the dead were the Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Missile Forces, Chief Marshal of Artillery M.I. Nedelin, test leaders from the range, Colonels A.I. Nosov and E.I. Ostashev. Today the streets of Baikonur bear their names. Every year, October 24 is celebrated as the Day of Remembrance of the fallen testers of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

December 24 launched the third satellite ship with the dogs Pchelka and Mushka. Due to the shutdown of the 3rd stage engine, the descent vehicle separated and parachuted into Siberia near the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River. Animals remained alive.

At the end of 1960, 5 assembly and test buildings, 4 launches were built and put into operation at the training ground. Preparations are underway for testing new models of rocket and space technology. An air defense system has been created. In 1960, the military units of the training ground began to be involved in combat duty. There are more than 10,000 people at the site.

On March 9 and 25, the last flight tests of the Vostok spacecraft with anthropological dummies and animals on board were carried out.

On April 12, 1961, at 9:07 am, the combat crew of the 5th NIIP prepared and launched the Vostok spacecraft, piloted by our compatriot Yu.A. Gagarin. The mass of the spacecraft was 4.73 tons, length - 4.4 m, maximum diameter - 2.43 m. Vostok made one revolution around the Earth in 1 hour 48 minutes and landed in the Engelsky district of the Saratov region.

In the United States, the first manned ballistic flight lasting 15 minutes took place on May 5, 1961.

On May 5, the head of the training ground, instead of Major General K.V. Gerchik was appointed Colonel A.G. Zakharov, former chief of staff of the test site.

On August 6, 1961, the Vostok spacecraft was launched with cosmonaut G.S. Titov on board (17 turns, 25 hours of flight). In the United States, the first manned orbital flight took place on February 28, 1962 (3 orbits, 5 hours).

So, the man escaped into space. Now that flights beyond the earth's atmosphere have become regular, and their scientific and economic effect is really palpable, we can appreciate with great attention the significance of our space achievements in the period preceding the advent of qualitatively new technology.

The launch of the Vostok, the launches of the next ships of this series are not just a chronology of events. These are new ideas, new ideas and accomplishments. A new era in the history of the Earth. Years will pass, but the dates of the first space flights and the images of the pioneers of space achievements, testers of the Baikonur cosmodrome, developers and creators of space technology, astronauts will remain in the grateful memory of mankind.

The Baikonur Cosmodrome has become a symbol of the space age. The growing scope and depth of space exploration and exploration, the expanding prospect of using its capabilities in the interests of science and the direct economic activity of people, required the construction of new spaceports. On December 20, 1961, by decision of the government, the Plesetsk cosmodrome was created.

In 1965, Colonel A.A. was appointed head of the Baikonur cosmodrome. Kurushin (transferred in 1973 with the rank of lieutenant general in the city of Bolshevo, Moscow Region). Subsequently, the chiefs of the cosmodrome were Lieutenant General V.I. Fadeev, Yu.N. Sergunin, Yu.A. Zhukov, A.L. Kryzhko. In September 1992, by decrees of the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan, Lieutenant General A.A. was appointed head of the cosmodrome. Shumilin, who began his army career as a lieutenant at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 1959.

Over the years that have passed since the flight into space, Yu.A. Gagarin, new generations of liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missiles of both light and heavy classes were tested at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which became the basis of the country's strategic military power. During the same time, new launch vehicles of light, medium and heavy classes and their modifications were tested: Cyclone, Soyuz, Proton, N-1, Zenit, Energia. Of these, only the N-1 did not complete the tests, not so much for technical reasons, but for purely subjective reasons - the struggle of designers for a leading place after the death of S.P. Queen.

Satellites of the Cosmos and Meteor series, communication and television satellites Ekran, Raduga, Horizont, Molniya, the Glonass navigation satellite, the orbital stations Salyut, Mir”, modules “Kvant”, automatic interplanetary stations “Mars”, “Venus”, “Zond”, “Vega”. The launch of any satellite from the Baikonur cosmodrome is cheaper than from other cosmodromes in the country. The launch area of ​​the cosmodrome stretches for 85 km from north to south and 125 km from west to east. In addition to the launch area, the cosmodrome includes measuring points located at a distance of up to 500 km along the missile flight path on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as 22 fall fields for spent rocket stages with a total area of ​​4.8 million hectares of decommissioned land.

In different years, the number of main technical structures reached the maximum: 52 launch facilities, 34 technical complexes, 3 computer centers, 16 stationary measuring points, 2 mobile automobile, 1 railway, 4 aircraft measuring points, 4 fall bases, an oxygen-nitrogen plant, 2 mechanical assembly plant, 2 airfields and 5 landing sites, a thermal power plant with a capacity of 80 MW, 2 power trains, a weather station, an ionospheric station.

Over the past 40 years, more than 1,100 spacecraft for various purposes and more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles have been launched at Baikonur, 38 main types of missiles, more than 80 types of spacecraft and their modifications have been tested.

But the main value of the cosmodrome is people. The following facts testify to the high scientific and intellectual potential of which: several hundred research works have been completed, thousands of rationalization proposals have been introduced, several dozen inventions, dozens of testers have defended dissertations for a scientific degree. The first candidates of technical sciences in 1959 were: Colonels A.A. Vasiliev, F.A. Gorin, M.F. Zhuravlev, N.G. Merzlyakov, A.I. Nosov, lieutenant colonels V.I. Bely, V.A. Bokov, S.A. Kalinin, A.F. Korshunov, E.I. Ostashev and S.D. Titov.

Selfless devotion to the cause, high professional skills, the desire to achieve the final result have been and remain the main qualities of the cosmodrome testers. And the state evaluates their work on merit.

On the Battle Banner of the Cosmodrome of the Order of Lenin, the October Revolution and the Red Star. Military unit 25741 was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the combat crew of which launched the first artificial Earth satellite, the Vostok spacecraft with the first cosmonaut of the planet Earth, Yu.A. Gagarin and the majority of manned spacecraft.

Nine workers of Baikonur (testers and military builders) were awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. Colonel A.I. was the first to receive this title in 1957. Nosov.

Subsequently, Generals V.A. became Heroes of Socialist Labor. Bochkov, A.S. Kirillov, A.A. Makarychev, A.S. Matrenin, A.A. Fedorov, A.A. Shumilin, majors V.P. Berezin, O.V. Nikolaev.

Hundreds of servicemen and civilian personnel of the cosmodrome have been awarded state awards.

Over 100 people have become honorary citizens of Baikonur during its 45-year history. Among them are the creators of rocket and space technology, domestic and foreign astronauts and workers of the cosmodrome: N.M. Artemenko, A.I. Dryakin, V.A. Zavalishina, A.I. Nesterenko, A.A. Tkalenko, G.M. Shubnikov. 62 workers of Baikonur were awarded honorary titles in the field of science, technology and culture, more than 30 people became laureates of the Lenin and State Prizes.

The work begun by the first testers of the Baikonur cosmodrome is continued by their children and grandchildren - numerous military dynasties are vivid evidence of this. At various times, over 200 young lieutenants, children and grandchildren of the military personnel of the cosmodrome, returned to serve at Baikonur. The army contingent of the cosmodrome is not only men. In the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces at the Baikonur cosmodrome, 40 female officers, 396 female ensigns, over 1,500 female contract service soldiers and sergeants (as of 1997) are serving.

Today, Baikonur is open for world cooperation in the field of outer space exploration, for the implementation of the launch of new generation international orbital complexes, manned cosmonautics as the only, largest cosmodrome in Eurasia.

http://baikonurwww.narod.ru/history. htm

Russian Civilization

Vladimir Vladimirovich Poroshkov

After graduating from the Military Red Banner Engineering Academy of Communications. S. M. Budyonny in Leningrad in 1957 was appointed to NIIP-5 MO. Participant in the launches of the world's first intercontinental rocket, the world's first satellite. Participated in the preparation, launch and orbit tracking of the world's first lunar spacecraft, Vostok satellites.

As a telemeter operator, he tested all types of launch vehicles, their payloads at the test site, and telemetry equipment. Since 1987, he has been the head of the telemetry and SEV department of the Main Control Center of the KMC. Honorary radio operator of the USSR. Author of more than 50 scientific papers and publications. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the medal "For Labor Valour" and other medals, the distinction "For Space Exploration" 1st degree.

He takes an active part in promoting the history and traditions of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The chiefs of the Baikonur cosmodrome - the world's first cosmodrome of the Earth, from which the first intercontinental rocket, satellite, lunar, cosmonaut took off and in whose history many glorious pages of the rocket and space era of mankind are inscribed - who are these people? Previously, they, like all Baikonur testers, were under the cloak of secrecy, their names and deeds were unknown. Now it's time to talk about them, because they and their deeds are a part of the cosmic history of our people.

These biographical sketches are based on both documentary materials drawn from the personal files of the persons described, published data and historical materials that are being prepared for publication, as well as the personal impressions of the author, who served in Baikonur for 30 years - from June 22, 1957 to May 20, 1987. The former head of the museum of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Yaroslav Viktorovich Nechesa, provided the author with detailed factual material about the chiefs of the Baikonur Cosmodrome based on the track records of their personal affairs, and therefore the author considers Ya. V. Nechesa a co-author of the article. When presenting the material, we will, if possible, adhere to the chronology of events and the objectivity of the characteristics, although the subjective perception of the author cannot be completely excluded.

The first chiefs of the test site (it began to be called a cosmodrome later) had the hardest time, creating it on a bare spot in the desert, and the last, who worked in the era of the so-called reforms, or rather, in the era of the total collapse and robbery of the country, which directly affected the cosmodrome and space research. So, our first story about the creation of the Research Test Site No. 5 (aka the Tyura-Tam test site, also known as the Southern Test Site, or the Baikonur Cosmodrome) and its first head, Alexei Ivanovich Nesterenko.

On May 20, 1954, the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 956-408ss was adopted on the development, manufacture and testing of the first R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile.

On February 12, 1955, the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR No. 292-181 was issued on the creation of the Research Testing Ground No. 5 (NIIP-5) for testing intercontinental missiles in the area of ​​the Tyura-Tam railway siding of the Kzyl-Orda region of the Kazakh SSR.

On March 10, 1955, by directive of the General Staff of the Soviet Army, an organizational group for a new training ground was created, the basis of which was 10 officers of the Kapustin Yar training ground. The tasks of the group included: a) development of the staff of the landfill, b) selection and training of personnel, c) preparation of applications for all types of material and technical support, d) organization of control over the construction of the landfill.

The organizational group constantly expanded. During March-April, the head of the training ground, the head of the political department, the chief of staff and other officials were appointed.

On March 19, 1955, by order No. 0053 of the Minister of Defense of the USSR Marshal of the Soviet Union G.K. Zhukov, Lieutenant General of Artillery was appointed head of the training ground (28.8.1943) Alexey Ivanovich NESTERENKO(30.3.1908-18.7.1995) from the post of head of faculty No. 4 of the Military Artillery Engineering Academy. F. E. Dzerzhinsky. The first head of the test site (March 19, 1955-July 2, 1958), laureate of the Stalin Prize of the 3rd degree (March 14, 1951), honorary citizen of the city of Leninsk (now Baikonur) and the village of Dikanka (1911). A. I. Nesterenko was born into a large peasant family on the Rybushka farm in the Zhirnovsky district of the Saratov region. Russian. He graduated from the 7th grade of the secondary school in Kemerovo in 1925. In the Armed Forces from September 1, 1925 to August 9, 1966, he entered voluntarily on a business trip from the Kuznetsk District Committee of the Komsomol to the Krasnoyarsk Artillery School, which was transferred to Tomsk. In 1929 he graduated from the Tomsk Artillery School, in 1932–1933. without interruption from service he graduated from the course of lower geodesy at Tomsk University, in 1936–1939. - Military Academy of the Red Army. M. V. Frunze (artillery department), released ahead of schedule in a group of 11 commanders. Upon graduation from the Tomsk school, he commanded a fire platoon of a howitzer battery of the 21st artillery regiment (Tomsk, Siberian military district). In this position, he participated in the conflict on the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1929 in Manchuria near the city of Chzhalaynor, where he provided artillery preparation for the offensive and repulse of Chinese cavalry and infantry counterattacks with direct fire. He led a group of scouts in an attack on horseback against a numerically superior group of Chinese cavalry.

In 1930 he served as a platoon commander of a regimental school, commander of a regiment's topographic detachment. In 1931, he was appointed course commander of the Tomsk Artillery School with the assignment of an extraordinary rank and served there as commander of the scale and theodolite platoon of a topographic battery, first assistant chief of staff of the division, battery commander until entering the academy in 1936. Before entering the academy, AI Nesterenko received his first personal military rank of senior lieutenant (January 24, 1936) - three red enameled "cubes" on his buttonholes. (Personal military ranks were established by the Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of September 28, 1935). After the academy, in April 1939, Major Nesterenko (two "sleepers" in buttonholes) was appointed commander of the 170th artillery regiment of the 37th rifle division (Rechitsa, Belorussian military district). In July 1939, the regiment was alerted and sent to Khalkhin Gol as part of the 37th Infantry Division, but due to the rapid end of hostilities, it was stopped in Omsk and left along with the division as part of the Siberian Military District. In the same year, 1939, the artillery regiment as part of the same division was transferred to the Petrozavodsk direction and, under the command of Major Nesterenko, participated in the Finnish War of 1939–1940. For successful offensive battles, Nesterenko was awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Major Nesterenko met the Great Patriotic War with the same regiment in Belarus on the Western Front, where already on June 23 he repelled the breakthrough of fascist tank columns near the village of Tovstyuny, 35 km northwest of Lida. The oncoming battle was hard, unequal, but the enemies also suffered considerable losses. With battles, they had to retreat in front of superior enemy forces. In July, Nesterenko broke through with units of the regiment, in full uniform, with weapons and the Banner, from the encirclement to Mozyr, after which he was sent to the reserve of the Western Front. On the way to Moscow, he visited the Central Committee of the Party and the operational department of the General Staff, for which he wrote a memorandum outlining the experience of the battles and his own thoughts. In August 1941, in the camps of the 1st Moscow Red Banner Artillery School named after. L. B. Krasin in Alabino near Moscow formed the 4th Guards mortar regiment of rocket artillery of the Reserve of the Supreme High Command among the first eight Katyusha regiments being formed. The regiment was armed with BM-13 combat vehicles on a three-axle ZIS-6 vehicle. 16 M-13 high-explosive fragmentation projectiles from the guides of the BM-13 installation could be fired within 8-10 seconds at a maximum range of up to 8470 m. His regiment had 3 divisions of 3 batteries each (the fourth division was sent to Leningrad), 1414 people (including 137 officers), 36 combat vehicles, 12 anti-aircraft 37-mm guns, 9 anti-aircraft and 18 light machine guns, as well as 343 trucks and special vehicles. The volley of his regiment of three divisions was 576 shells of 132-mm caliber. The explosive weight of the projectile is 4.9 kg. The first volley of the "Katyusha" of his regiment was fired near Gogol's Dikanka in the Poltava region on September 25, 1941. Here the regiment's combat path began. With a divisional salvo in the Pererub tract, a grouping of infantry and cavalry of the enemy, preparing for an attack, was defeated and fled from the battlefield. In the battles near Dikanka, the enemy was detained for 14 days. According to the testimonies of the prisoners, the enemy's 101st Infantry Division lost up to 30-40% of its composition from the fire of the 4th GMP. In Dikanka in the park. Gogol after the war in the seventies, at the request of the inhabitants of the village with the help of Nesterenko, a monument to the "Katyushas" of his regiment was erected - a BM-13 rocket launcher on a pedestal. Together with the veterans of the regiment, Nesterenko was invited to the opening of the monument, to whom grateful residents awarded the title of honorary citizen of Dikanka.

Participated in hostilities in the Western (June - July 1941), Southwestern (September 1941 - March 1942), Northwestern (April - May 1942), Southern (May 1942 - August 1942), North Caucasian (Black Sea group August 1942-March 1943), Bryansk (March 1943-October 1943), 2nd Baltic (October 1943-March 1945) and Leningrad fronts (April 1945-May 1945) as commander of the 170th artillery regiment of the 137th Infantry Division (June - July 1941), commander of the 4th guards regiment of rocket artillery of the RVGK (September 1941-March 1942), representative of the commander of the guards mortar units of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command (April - May 1942), head of the operational groups of the guards mortar units of the fronts (from May 1942 to August 1944), deputy commander of artillery fronts (from August 1944 to May 1945). He fought under the command of such famous military leaders as S. M. Budyonny, L. A. Govorov, A. I. Eremenko, R. Ya. Malinovsky, P. A. Kurochkin, I. E. Petrov, M. M. Popov, M. A. Reuter, A. I. Antonov, N. A. Bulganin, L. M. Sandalov, Yu. P. Bazhanov, V. I. Voznyuk, N. V. Gavrilenko, L. M. Gaidukov, A. D. Zubanov, M. I. Nedelin, G. F. Odintsov. In battles he interacted with the troops commanded by K. S. Moskalenko, P. M. Kozlov, V. D. Kryuchenko, A. I. Rodimtsev, I. N. Russiyanov, F. M. Kharitonov and others. such famous rocket scientists as A. G. Karas, A. F. Tveretsky. G. A. Tyulin and others.

As commander of the 4th GMP, Nesterenko near Vinnik (October 4, 1941) for the first time used a direct-fire battery salvo, as a result of which an enemy column on the march was defeated.

At the suggestion of Nesterenko, by order of the commander of the Southern Front, a mobile front group was formed in Dachny to cover the gap between the Southern and Southwestern fronts, where the enemy’s tank and mechanized columns were breaking through. The mobile group under the command of A.I. Nesterenko included: 8, 49 GMP, 14 OGMDM, two anti-aircraft divisions - the 113th and 240th, two rifle and artillery regiments of the 176th rifle division, anti-tank batteries. The mobile group passed the combat path in the Salsky steppes and at the Manych Canal. Hiding behind rifle units and fire from anti-aircraft and anti-tank batteries, constantly maneuvering on a hundred-kilometer front, the group delivered massive strikes with salvo fire from Katyushas. The German tanks could not withstand the attacks of the Katyushas, ​​suffered losses, retreated and looked for workarounds, slowing down the offensive. For a week, the mobile group held back the armored and mechanized columns of the enemy, inflicting huge damage on them, preventing them from breaking through the gap between the Southern and South-Western fronts at the Budyonnovskaya - Beketny line, and then into the gap between the 12th and 37th armies. This was the only case in the history of hostilities when the brunt of the fight against enemy tanks and motorized infantry was borne by the guards mortar units, and the rifle units were subordinate to the head of the operational group of the front, providing cover for the guards mortars. For this operation, Budyonny and Malinovsky presented Nesterenko to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but, apparently, the general picture of the retreat seemed to Stalin an inappropriate background for the award.

In the summer of 1942, as part of the Black Sea group of the North Caucasian Front, during the conduct of military operations in the mountains under the leadership of Nesterenko, portable and pack "Katyushas" were used in military conditions. 58 M-8-8 mining rigs were manufactured and 12 batteries were formed. These "Katyushas" were used in battles on the Goyth Pass, on the mountains of Semashkho, Two Brothers, Turkey, on Malaya Zemlya near Novorossiysk, near the Pshish River, in the offensive of the North Caucasian Front against Krasnodar (August 1942-March 1943). The same installations were first used on boats and ships of the Black Sea Fleet during a fire strike on Anapa and in a landing operation near Novorossiysk. A railway version on railcars was also developed. On December 7, 1942, Nesterenko was awarded the rank of Major General of Artillery. He was then 34 years old.

In 1943, Nesterenko, along with his headquarters and support units, was sent to the Bryansk Front, commanded by Colonel General M.A. Reiter, later - M.M. Popov.

The operational group of the GMCh of the Bryansk Front under the command of Nesterenko included: the 2nd and 3rd Guards mortar divisions (three brigades each) and the 8th separate brigade M-30, six separate regiments M-13 (85, 93, 310 , 311, 312, 313 GMP) and the M-8 division. Each brigade of four divisions had 288 launchers, in the division 864, which could simultaneously fire 3456 M-30 shells with a total weight of 320 tons. Battle of Kursk. For a year and a half, the Germans created the Krivtsov defense center. It took our troops 18 minutes to capture it behind the PC fire shaft. The density of breaks reached 30–50 per hectare. The Germans who remained alive, stunned and distraught, fled in our direction with their hands raised and shouting: “Hitler Kaput!” According to the testimonies of the prisoners, not a single dugout, not a single firing point survived. 80-100% of manpower and weapons were destroyed.

On August 5, Moscow saluted the liberators of Orel and Belgorod in honor of the five fronts, among which was Bryansk. On September 17, Moscow saluted the liberators of Bryansk and Bezhitsa. 310 and 74 GMP received the name Bezhitsky. On the Bryansk Front, on 28/8/1943, Nesterenko received the rank of Lieutenant General of Artillery and was awarded two Orders of the Patriotic War, 1st degree (18/5/1943 and 27/8/1943) for military distinctions. By order of the Headquarters, the Bryansk Front was disbanded, its armies were reassigned to the Central Front, and the headquarters, command and control bodies, units and formations of front subordination, led by Front Commander Popov, were transferred to the Velikiye Luki and Nevel regions of the Pskov Region, where from the troops of the North-Western, partly Kalinin and Bryansk fronts, the 2nd Baltic Front was created.

On April 1, 1945, the troops of the 2nd Baltic and part of the troops of the 1st Baltic and Leningrad fronts, blocking the Courland group of Germans from 36 divisions of the Army Group North, were united into the Leningrad Front under the command of Marshal of the Soviet Union L. A. Govorov . Nesterenko became deputy commander of the artillery of this front. The operational group of the GMCH of the Leningrad Front included one division and four separate M-31 brigades, as well as 17 M-13 regiments. For military distinctions on this front, Nesterenko was awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd degree (6/29/1945). Victory Day found him preparing for an offensive against the Courland group of Germans. The Courland group of Germans, consisting of more than 300 thousand people, capitulated.

As the description of the military path shows, Alexei Ivanovich Nesterenko was a prominent commander of the Great Patriotic War. In the final operations of the war, under his command were 7 heavy brigades of guards mortars out of 40 available in the Soviet Army (17.5%). 17 Katyusha regiments out of 115 in the Soviet Army (14.8%), i.e. 1 / 6-1 / 7 of the main striking power of the Soviet Army - rocket artillery.

In battles, A.I. Nesterenko showed intelligence, ingenuity, courage, resourcefulness, ingenuity, initiative, high professionalism, skillfully used the maneuverability and striking power of the new weapon. His 4th GMP was the first of the guards mortar regiments to be awarded the Order of the Red Banner (13.3.42). Being in the most important and dangerous sectors of the front, he more than once encountered tanks and motorized infantry in close combat, came under machine-gun fire and air strikes. In battles he was shell-shocked (26.6.1941) at the Govier station in Western Belarus, slightly wounded in a battle near the city of Lisichansk, Voroshilovgrad region (11.28.1941) and during an air raid in the right hand and cheekbone, when he led a pontoon crossing in Rostov-na - Don (24.7.1942).

Thanks to his excellent knowledge of technology and a deep understanding of the experience of using it in battles, he did a lot to improve the technique and organization of the battle. He developed and widely used direct fire methods, always competently organized enemy reconnaissance, outposts and cover, ammunition supply for units and subunits, flexibly used troops subordinate to him to inflict maximum damage to the enemy in defense and offensive.

After the war, A. I. Nesterenko was deputy artillery commander of the Leningrad Military District, in May 1946 he was appointed head of the newly created NII-4 MO of the Academy of Artillery Sciences. To create an institute, Nesterenko received a town of engineering troops in Bolshevo near Moscow and set about organizing an institute. In the same town, he provided an opportunity for General V.I. Voznyuk to start forming the Kapustin Yar State Central Training Ground. Here the main services of the GPC were organized and staffed, after which Voznyuk moved with these units to Kapustin Yar, where he continued to work on the creation of the test site.

Alexei Ivanovich delved into all the scientific, technical, economic and everyday issues of the institute. After a report to the President of the Academy of Artillery Sciences, Lieutenant-General Blagonravov on the formation of scientific and auxiliary units, Nesterenko received instructions from him: to create an academic council at NII-4, develop and strictly implement a research plan, organize close interaction between the institute and all research institutes, design bureaus and polygon Kapustin Yar. Nesterenko visits OKB-1, gets acquainted with S.P. Korolev and with all the design bureaus involved in missiles and equipment for their testing. Already at the development stage, he connects his scientific departments to work on their profile. Close interaction with the developers ensured the acceleration of the implementation of research work and their practical value. Investigating the newly created combat missile systems, the institute gains authority and begins to dictate to the industry the tactical and technical requirements for missile systems and all their systems.

Nesterenko learned that there was a group of M. K. Tikhonravov at NII-1 MAP, which was working on the creation of long-range missiles and using them for human space flight. On the recommendation of the Minister of Aviation Industry Shakhurin, he contacted Tikhonravov, invited him to NII-4 for a conversation, and after Tikhonravov’s story about the work of the group, he suggested that the whole group go to NII-4, provided that it would work according to the institute’s profile, since the Presidium of the Academy Artillery Sciences will not approve the space theme for NII-4. At the same time, we agreed that Nesterenko would not interfere with the work of the group beyond the plan on his topic. This suited Mikhail Klavdievich, and in December 1946 his group of 22 people moved to NII-4 MO. During 1947 and early 1948, Tikhonravov's group without a computer did an enormous amount of computational work and proved that with the help of a packet rocket consisting of single-stage rockets with a range of about a thousand kilometers, it is possible to launch an artificial Earth satellite into orbit. Tikhonravov made a report at the Scientific Council of NII-4. With great difficulty, it was possible to achieve the inclusion of Tikhonravov's report in the plan of the scientific session of the Academy of Artillery Sciences.

On July 14, 1948, at the scientific session of the Academy of Artillery Sciences, M. K. Tikhonravov made a report “Ways to achieve long-range missiles”, where he developed Tsiolkovsky’s idea about a squadron of missiles, proposed a rocket package scheme based on existing missiles. He concluded his report with the words: "Thus, the range of missiles is not only theoretically, but also technically not limited." The report was met with silence, not knowing how to react to it. There were a lot of ironic smiles, and one high rank said: "The Institute probably has nothing to do, and therefore you decided to move into the realm of fantasy." And this is about a report that changed the course of development of rocket and space technology, led to the creation of the world's first intercontinental rocket and the world's first satellite! Only S.P. Korolev took the report seriously. He specially came to Tikhonravov at NII-4, saw the calculations and graphs and said to the engineers surrounding him: “You are engineers with a capital letter!” Korolev seized on the idea of ​​a packet rocket and established cooperation with Tikhonravov, embodying his ideas in the R-7 rocket. There is documentary evidence for this. Tikhonravov's diary testifies to frequent meetings with Korolyov. The point about the prospects of the direction of work according to the batch scheme appears in the draft design of the R-3 rocket in 1949. In a letter and in the terms of reference for research sent by Korolev to NII-4 MO on December 16, 1949, he directly recognizes the relevance of work "on the study composite missiles of the "package" type, carried out at the NII-4 MO under the guidance of a corresponding member of the Academy of Artillery Sciences M. K. Tikhonravov.

Despite the disapproval of the high authorities and the reduction of Tikhonravov's group to two people, Nesterenko still supports Tikhonravov's work. They were friends with families, they celebrated all holidays and anniversaries together. Nesterenko himself highly appreciates the merits of Mikhail Klavdievich Tikhonravov and Nikolai Gavrilovich Chernyshev (chemist, specialist in rocket fuel). Aleksey Ivanovich writes that "they forced such large, powerful organizations as OKB-1, NII-88 to do their work." And further: “If at one time I had not offered Mikhail Klavdievich to work on such conditions, when he would have worked beyond the plan on the topic he had conceived, if I had not supported him, then the question of artificial satellites of the Earth would have been delayed for us for several more years. The group of M. K. Tikhonravov did a great job, and it was not by chance that Sergei Pavlovich later ensured that M. K. Tikhonravov was transferred to his design bureau, where he was instructed to head the department for the advanced development of rocket technology. Knowing the honesty, truthfulness and modesty of Alexei Ivanovich, one can fully trust him, especially since now Tikhonravov's priority and the use of his works by Korolev are documented.

The head of NII-4 V. Z. Dvorkin in the book “Unforgettable Baikonur” reports: “The results of the research of the Tikhonravov group were presented in the reports of NII-4 MO: “Study of the possibility and expediency of creating composite missiles” (1950), “Study of the principle of rocket packages for achievement of long ranges" (1951), "The choice of optimal options for missiles for firing at long ranges" (1952). On the basis of the research carried out in 1951, a draft of an experimental burst rocket capable of launching an artificial satellite was developed and sent to OKB-1. The project materials consider the design features of a composite rocket, consisting of several single-stage rockets, and present a methodology for optimizing its parameters. The issues of launch, flight stability, stage separation, methods of pouring fuel into the tanks of a rocket that continues flight after stage separation are also considered. Some research results were used in the preliminary design of the R-7 rocket. The project contained a section devoted to the problems of creating an artificial satellite, launching it into orbit and descending to Earth.” At the official defense in 1956 of the draft design of the first satellite, S.P. Korolev noted that the satellite design was developed at OKB-1 on the basis of research work by a group of employees of NII-4 MO, headed by M.K. Tikhonravov.

The contribution of Nesterenko, who appreciated and supported the Tikhonravov group at a time when no one had yet thought about a packet rocket and a satellite, is very great. He saved the Motherland several years for the creation of an intercontinental rocket and a satellite, which made it possible to ensure priority in the implementation of their flights. How could Aleksey Ivanovich then think that he would have to translate theory into practice, investing his remarkable mind and energy into the creation of the Baikonur cosmodrome, testing the world's first packet intercontinental rocket R-7 and launching the world's first artificial Earth satellite?

Nesterenko was a progressive person and saw the prospects of a new business. He participated in research on anti-aircraft guided missiles for the country's air defense, on descent and soft landing on the ground using a parachute-brake system of cargo dropped from an aircraft (Stalin Prize 3rd degree, 03/14/1951).

Despite the fact that the activities of A. I. Nesterenko in NII-4 were positively evaluated by everyone, in September 1951 he was removed from his post because, as Colonel General A. A. Maksimov recalled, he wrote a memorandum to the Central Committee, where he called the work of S. P. Korolev's group on the creation of V-2 missiles an economic sabotage. He motivated this by the fact that V-2 did not make any weather in the war due to low accuracy. Our missiles of that time had an accuracy of 8 km in range and 4 km in lateral deviation. So the report had sufficient grounds. The main thing was that many were afraid of repression and regarded this act as a betrayal. And despite the fact that Alexey Ivanovich proved his wholehearted devotion to missiles throughout his subsequent life, he was not forgiven for his mistakes even after many years. When the Council of Veterans of Baikonur, together with other organizations, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of A.I. Nesterenko, came up with a petition to confer on him the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, which he certainly deserved more than many near-cosmic heroes from Moscow (who, by the way, had much larger errors, and moreover but not disinterested), the appeal was left without consequences.

After the institute, Lieutenant-General A.I. Nesterenko was deputy commander of artillery of the Belarusian Military District (1.1951-1.1952), head of the missile department of the Academy. F. E. Dzerzhinsky (1.1952-3.1955). He headed the State Commission for testing the R-11 rocket on a high-boiling oxidizer with a flight range of 270 km and an accuracy of 1.5 km in range and 0.75 km in the lateral direction (April 1953-July 13, 1955). When Marshal of Artillery M. I. Nedelin offered him to become the head of the newly formed training ground in Tyura-Tama (NIIP-5), he agreed without hesitation, exchanging his prosperous and solid Moscow general existence for the disorder and difficulties of building from scratch in hellish climatic conditions .

Aleksey Ivanovich Nesterenko describes his first impressions of visiting the construction site of the landfill in early June 1955: “As soon as we landed at the Dzhusaly field airfield and got off the plane, we were engulfed in the heat of hot steppe air, as if we were in a heated furnace. The unusually warm air was breathtaking, and the bright sun, like a powerful searchlight, blinded the eyes. We remembered dark glasses, which, unfortunately, we did not have. The witty adjutant of Marshal M. I. Nedelin said: “This is not a Finnish bath for you, but the Central Asian desert.”

From the village of Dzhusaly, by a special railway flight, consisting of a diesel locomotive and two passenger compartment cars, we went to the builders' concentration station. There, our battalion was put on a temporary railway track. In the metal wagons heated by the sun, we sweated and greedily inhaled the air like fish thrown ashore. I was terribly thirsty. It seemed that without habit it was impossible to quench one's thirst. In order to somehow facilitate the possibility of staying in the cars, where it was possible to hide from the scorching sun, General Gaidukov ordered the builders of the tank to bring water to the cars and pour water on the roofs of the cars, especially that part of the car where the marshal was. But since there were no pumps, the builders performed this procedure manually with buckets. The effect is insignificant, but still morally it was easier. Moreover, this primitive operation was carried out under the direct supervision of General Gaidukov.

Only after sunset came coolness, which contributed to the rapid restoration of strength and energy. However, at night we were overcome by other troubles - these are annoying flies, mosquitoes and mosquitoes, small and burning creatures.

After spending a day in the construction area of ​​the test site, we got a depressing impression of the terrain and living conditions of the future test center. Take a look around - and you see the endless desert steppe, covered with sparse grass scorched by the sun. The desert itself is dotted with takyrs, salt marshes and in some places sand dunes. The landscape of the desert was complemented by many gophers and around - not a single tree. At the station where we were based, there were only two brick two-story buildings and a dozen half-worn adobe shacks with flat roofs. Some of them had yurts. Here and there one could see emaciated donkeys and small groups of goats or sheep. Take a look at all this, and hopeless sadness takes possession of you.

This first impression was experienced by everyone arriving at the training ground. Nevertheless, Nesterenko writes: “My first visit to the test site evoked various feelings in me - anxiety, hope, and confidence in the future, because I was sure that, no matter what, our people would create this test site!” Nesterenko also writes about personnel who "decide everything."

“The most difficult period is the acquisition of the cosmodrome. It was impossible to say where the place of formation was, and those who agreed to go there, as soon as they found out that it was in the area of ​​​​Dzhusala and Kazalinsk (in the Soviet encyclopedia it was listed as the area of ​​\u200b\u200b"natural plague"), they immediately refused, came up with all sorts of reasons: illness of wife, mother-in-law, children. The work was really tiring, hard, but it was necessary to persuade and explain. Great assistance to Alexei Ivanovich was provided by his deputies - A. S. Butsky, A. G. Karas, K. V. Gerchik, N. M. Proshletsov, V. I. Ilyushenko, A. I. Nosov, A. A. Vasiliev, A. P. Metelkin, N. D. Silin, V. A. Lebedev, I. K. Kruglyak. Marshal of Artillery M. I. Nedelin and the personnel department of the Ministry of Defense also helped.

On May 24, 1955, the projects of the states of the test site, developed by the organizational group, were presented to the General Staff, and on June 2, the organizational structure of the test site was determined by the directive of the General Staff. By order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 00105 of August 3, 1960, to commemorate the creation of the training ground, an annual holiday was established - June 2, which is also considered the day of the annual holiday of all subordinate units that were in the formation on August 3, 1960, with the exception of military units 14332 and 14251 , which the holiday is set on September 1.

The following units and subdivisions were included in the state training ground: the headquarters of the training ground (chief of staff Colonel A. S. Butsky, from 11/1/1956 - Colonel A. G. Karas, from 10.7.1957 - Colonel K. V. Gerchik) as part of seven departments - 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8th. The bases of special test fields were subordinate to the headquarters: the base for the fall of blocks of the 1st stage of military unit 13961 in Kazakhstan in the Ladyzhenka region (lieutenant colonel L. A. Kondratyuk) and the base for the fall of warheads and remnants of the 2nd stage in Kamchatka - a separate scientific and testing station (Head of ONIS Colonel B. F. Kozlov, from 12/24/1955 - Colonel I. K. Pavlenko) with a complex of six IPs of the Kama region (IPs 12–17, chiefs, respectively, Major V. K. Zimin, major engineer Mikheychik L. V., engineer captain I. S. Pochko, lieutenant colonel P. D. Yanovich, lieutenant colonel G. Salnikov, engineer lieutenant colonel V. A. Veidenbach). ONIS also included the 28th separate mixed air squadron (commander - Major N. G. Burenkov). The political department of the test site (Colonel N. M. Proshletsov, who died on September 10, 1956 after a serious illness, from April 28, 1956 - Colonel V. I. Ilyushenko). Experimental work service - OIR (lieutenant colonel engineer A.I. Nosov) consisting of five departments - 9th (2nd laboratory, 1st and 3rd were subordinate to the 16th department of the research service), 11, 12, 13, 15th - and physicochemical laboratory. The service was subject to a complex of radio control and measurement points of the RUPI - the main "A" (military unit 25642) Tartugay (Major A. V. Rodionov), the mirror "B" (military unit 14094) Togyz (engineer-lieutenant colonel Ya. A. Plotnikov) and temporary. The OIR service was subordinated to the assembly brigade (engineer-lieutenant colonel B. A. Shpanov) and the 229th separate division of the 77th engineering brigade - military unit 55831 (lieutenant colonel I. I. Cherenkov), which had 583 military personnel and acted as a test unit. The division had a command, headquarters and 4 batteries. Two batteries were located on site No. 2: the 1st - for complex testing and launch (commander Major N. D. Golovanov) and the 2nd - for ground equipment (Major V. G. Kozlov). The 3rd battery was located at RUP "B" (side radio correction point - commander Major V.I. Nesterenko). The 4th battery - for processing experimental data (commander Major V. S. Belyaev) - was located on site No. 10. On July 1, 1957, a separate engineering test unit (OIICh) of military unit 25741 (lieutenant colonel O.I. Maisky), which had a staff of 889 military personnel and 9 workers and employees.

Research Service - Research (Engineer Colonel A. A. Vasiliev) consisting of four departments - 4, 10, 14, 16, two separate laboratories (photo and special measurements) and a complex of measuring points (IP) of the Taiga region » in Kazakhstan (IP-1-9). The chiefs of IPov 1–9 were (lieutenant colonel G. M. Koleganov, military unit 13951, lieutenant technician V. A. Sivov, military unit 25632, lieutenant technician A. A. Sokolov, military unit 25619, lieutenant colonel A. I. Lartsev, military unit 14216, major S. A. Ampliev, military unit 25757, lieutenant colonel V. D. Vetlasenin, military unit 14018 (Amangeldy village), lieutenant colonel engineer A. T. Moroz, since 1957 Major Yu. M. Medvedev, military unit 14289, Major P. M. Gavrilenko, military unit 25589 (Zhaksy village), Lieutenant Colonel I. S. Yudaev, military unit 14143 (Kievka village).

The polygon included the following units and subunits: a separate communications battalion - military unit 14315 (lieutenant colonel G.P. Drobyshevsky), a separate motor transport battalion - military unit 25667 (Major V.M. Bykov, from 10/4/1956 Major A. G. Blinov), a separate production operational and technical company - military unit 13978 (Major I. P. Kuznetsov), 6th separate aviation unit (senior lieutenant N. D. Lubnin), 181st separate security company (Captain M. E. Bushmakin), military post station - military unit 14400 (senior lieutenant of the administrative service A. I. Afonin), 1500th military hospital - military unit 25718 (lieutenant colonel of the medical service A. V. Solovyov) , polyclinic of the 1500th military hospital (major of the medical service F. E. Matvievsky), 3rd separate anti-plague detachment - military unit 14199 (major of the veterinary service V. E. Derevyashkin), House of officers (major P. S. Kalin, from September 1957 - major V. S. Gorin), military commandant's office (lieutenant colonel A. M. Pyshkin), guardhouse (lieutenant V. A. Shakhmatov), ​​field department of the State of the Vienna Bank (major of the quartermaster service P. D. Plautin).

In addition, the range included: SARM (senior lieutenant engineer V.V. Klimov), a separate central experimental repair shop (major engineer V.N. Kalinovsky), an artillery warehouse (lieutenant technician V.E. Deev), three firefighters teams (chiefs of equipment lieutenants F. M. Levoshin, A. Ya. Nesterov, P. A. Khodakovsky), an oxygen-nitrogen plant (engineer lieutenant colonel N. P. Klimenko), a central diesel power plant (junior engineer lieutenant R. V. Shcherbachev), two power trains (lieutenant engineer K. V. Ivanov), a thermal power plant (Major Yudin), a slaughterhouse (lieutenant of the quartermaster service V.V. Radish), a bath and laundry disinfection station (lieutenant of the quartermaster service V.P. Talalaev); . Bykov), 50th department of military trade (D. I. Volkov), industrial complex (V. A. Borovkov), trade preparation base (Z. S. Khutsiev), three canteens No. 1–3 (Iryukov, U. Utarov, V. A. Kotelnikov), an evening general education school at the House of Officers (E. M. Kuznetsova). Alexei Ivanovich Nesterenko had to manage such a huge economy, and he and his assistants did it successfully.

Alexey Ivanovich was a godsend for a new unprecedented training ground. The selection of personnel was facilitated by the previous position of head of the faculty. The officers believed him and agreed to go with him to conquer the desert and outer space. He also persuaded a large group of officers from Kapustin Yar to move to the new range, which made it possible to use their experience at the new range. Old connections and front-line friendship also came in handy for the formation: a separate test station for the warhead fall area for Kamchatka was formed at NII-4, and most of the other services of the test site in Kapustin Yar (previously, General Voznyuk formed his test site at NII-4 at Nesterenko, now he repaid his debt) . Using extensive connections, it was not difficult to agree on the training of testers at industrial enterprises, research institutes and design bureaus.

The most difficult period in the life of the cosmodrome fell to the share of A.I. Nesterenko - design, construction, formation, organization of tests, life and life almost from scratch in a short time, when all unprecedented work had to be done in parallel. Nesterenko was engaged in the allotment of land plots for the launch area, the village, the bases for the fall of detachable parts, the radio control points for the flight of the rocket (RCP), the measuring points (IP), the coordination of project documents and construction schedules, the selection of personnel, the formation of units and subdivisions. It was difficult to allocate land in Kazakhstan for the construction of IP, RUP, fields of falling steps. On 10/19/1955, Nesterenko wrote to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR: “By the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR of 29.4.1955 and the order of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR of 18.5.1955, the Ministry of Defense, in addition to a plot of 290,000 hectares in the Kzyl-Orda region, should be assigned 5 plots of 400 ha each and 7 plots of 200 ha each in Aktobe, Akmola, Kzyl-Orda, Kustanai and Karaganda regions. When Nesterenko came to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR D. A. Kunaev with documents on the allotment of plots, he refused him on the grounds that there were pastures for sheep. And only when Nesterenko turned to the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan L. I. Brezhnev, whom he knew from the Black Sea Group of Forces, the issue was resolved positively.

Especially a lot of trouble for Alexei Ivanovich was the Kama warhead fall base in Kamchatka, also being created on a bare ground, without reliable communications, in the most remote, literally bearish corner (numerous bears were the main population of this deserted area). It was required as soon as possible, in view of the end of navigation, to coordinate with the Ministry of the Navy of the country the composition of watercraft for the delivery of personnel, complex radio, telemetry and other equipment to Kamchatka, and unloading had to be done on the roads without any port facilities and facilities. In these works, he was helped by the commander of the Far Eastern Military District, Marshal of the Soviet Union Malinovsky, under whose command Nesterenko fought on the Southern Front. Nesterenko repeatedly flew to Kamchatka to personally control the progress of the delivery of goods, property and special equipment, control the construction and deployment of equipment, the arrangement of personnel and families of military personnel.

He paid much attention to direct communication with research institutes, design bureaus and industrial enterprises, where test officers were trained. He communicated with the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense apparatus for armaments, resolved organizational issues, dealt with the main problems of the prospective development of Baikonur, showed remarkable abilities as a business executive, foreseeing and eliminating many difficulties caused by the shortcomings of the project, contacting the authors of the project, delving into every detail in all planning issues, construction, life, provision and culture.

It was difficult to accommodate people. They lived in a special train, tents, old railway cars, dugouts, prefabricated panel barracks, rented rooms or shepherds from the Kazakhs at the stations of Tyura-Tam and Dzhusaly. It was difficult with bread, canteens, baths, laundry, water, shops, post office, communications, electricity. All these questions had to be solved by Nesterenko together with his deputies.

Alexey Ivanovich was a simple and accessible person for everyone without exception, not a drop of swagger and arrogance. He was sociable and non-confrontational, got along well with his deputies and superiors. An experienced organizer, an active leader, delving into all the little things that affect the life and work of people subordinate to him. A skilled teacher and educator, he found the right words and keys to their souls. Demanding to himself and his subordinates, he knew how to listen to their opinion and use rational grain in his work. He was especially warm towards young people, often spoke at Komsomol meetings, met with schoolchildren, soldiers, young officers and responded to all their aspirations and requests. He was respected and loved by all who knew him.

Alexei Ivanovich was an outstanding person. In 1935, he led a thousand-kilometer ski run of a detachment of cadets of the Tomsk Artillery School. The detachment covered a distance of 1070 km in 11 running days. We arrived at the finish line without a single lagging behind. This transition was marked by the order of the People's Commissar of Defense K. E. Voroshilov. And two weeks later, Nesterenko participated in the district skiing competition at a distance of 50 km in full gear with shooting at the 48th kilometer and set an all-army record. He skied until the war. In addition to skiing, he was fond of athletics, equestrian sports and gliding. A diversified person himself, an author of books and an artist, a master of sports in skiing, he tried to improve the village, life, and ensure the rest of the testers after hard work. And at the training ground, the morning of staff officers began with physical exercises led by Nesterenko.

Despite the hard work of builders at the main facilities of the landfill, by 1957 a bathhouse on the Syrdarya River, a summer dance floor, and an indoor Summer Theater for 600 seats were built. And this was done with his participation and the active work of the head of the political department V. I. Ilyushenko. The garrison had an excellent library, excellent amateur performances, sports and amateur performances were held, the first plantings turned green, turning the village into a real oasis, into a garden city, although skeptics claimed that nothing grows on salt marshes in this desert. Alexey Ivanovich had a hand in all this and deserves a monument both in the history of Baikonur and in the history of the rocket and space age! As for fleeting mistakes, in the forties and early fifties, few people believed in rockets and in the conquest of space, and even S.P. Korolev, having heard the proposals of M.K. Tikhonravov for the first time, doubted their implementation in the near future. And only when he came to Tikhonravov at NII-4 and looked at his calculations and schedules, he became convinced of the feasibility of space flight in the near future with the help of packet rockets created from existing rockets. But Nesterenko, a few years earlier, despite the distrust and dissatisfaction of his superiors, provided Tikhonravov with the opportunity to work at his institute on a rocket project for manned space flight (which means he believed!), Obtained permission for Tikhonravov to read a report at a scientific session of the Academy of Artillery Sciences, ensured a working collaboration with Korolev, which eventually led to the creation of the world's first intercontinental rocket R-7, the world's first artificial Earth satellite.

The acting head of the Plesetsk cosmodrome, Major General Konstantin Chmarov, was removed from his post in connection with the case of Private Sergei Sikonen, who was beaten by his superiors on the night of August 15 and then died in the hospital. The issue of Chmarov's dismissal from the armed forces is being decided. The army authorities showed toughness and a quick reaction to another scandal related to hazing.

Sergei Sinkonen served in the airfield technical support battalion of the cosmodrome. While on duty on the night of August 14-15, he, with his colleagues privates Dzgoev and Ishmukhametov, went to check the operation of the water pumping station. On the way, the privates met the commander of the security company, Viktor Bal, and the platoon commander of the company, Ensign Vadim Kalinin.

The seniors were returning from the bathhouse, where they celebrated the wedding of a colleague and, as usual, drank. They suspected the soldiers of unauthorized absence from the barracks and began to beat Dzgoev and Sinkonen with their feet and belt buckles. After Bal and Kalinin dragged the privates to the dog kennel and went to sleep. Nothing is known about the third soldier.

Dzgoev and Sikonen were found only in the morning. An ambulance brigade was called to them, which delivered the beaten soldiers to the Plesetsk military hospital. Dzgoev escaped serious injury, he was soon discharged. But Sergei Sinkonen received a severe head injury, which led to a coma. On Monday, August 27, despite the best efforts of doctors, Sinkonen died without regaining consciousness.

It is interesting to note that the younger brother of the deceased, Vladimir Sinkonen, is also doing military service at the cosmodrome. The mother of the Sinkonen brothers refused to transfer her son to another unit.

The military prosecutor's office of the Plesetsk garrison has already taken into custody one of the suspects - warrant officer Vadim Kalinin. Victor Bal is currently being examined in the psycho-neurological department of the local hospital. According to Kommersant, citing a source close to the investigation, "he had a seizure, he was shaking all over."

So far, both military men are charged with causing grievous bodily harm and abuse of power. It is possible that in connection with the death of Sinkonen, the charge will be reclassified into a more serious one: intentional infliction of grievous harm resulting in the death of the victim (Article 111 Part 4 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). If this happens, then Kalinin and Balu face up to 15 years in prison.

On August 29, it became known that the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Anatoly Serdyukov, in connection with this incident, removed from his post the acting head of the Plesetsk cosmodrome, Major General Konstantin Chmarov. Moreover, the issue of his dismissal from the armed forces is currently being discussed. According to Kommersant, the same fate could befall Yuri Kozik, the commander of the battalion in which the deceased soldier served.

In addition, the publication reports that the minister intends to ensure maximum transparency of the process in the case and severe punishment of the perpetrators.

The resignations in Plesetsk did not affect the head of the cosmodrome, Anatoly Bashlakov. He had been promoted before the incident and was on leave on August 15. His duties were performed by the suspended Konstantin Chmarov. It is reported that Bashlakov will take the post of head of the Main Military Directorate for Educational Work of the Ministry of Defense, and Oleg Ostapenko, the former first deputy chief of staff of the Space Forces, has already been appointed to his place.

Over the past year and a half, this is the third high-profile scandal associated with hazing in the Russian army. A great resonance in society was caused by the cases of privates Sychev and Rudakov, who ended up in the hospital through the fault of their seniors.

The incident in the company of the educational process of the Chelyabinsk Tank Institute occurred on the eve of the new year 2006. Drunk junior sergeant Alexander Sivyakov forced Private Andrey Sychev, who suffers from varicose veins, to stand on half-bent legs for three hours, while striking them, and subjected the private to other bullying.

As a result, Sychev developed positional compression of the lower extremities and genitals, which led to the development of gangrene. For several days after the incident, despite Sychev's complaints, he was not provided with medical assistance. When the private could not go to the formation, he was finally hospitalized. In the hospital, Sychev had to amputate both legs and genitals.

This case received wide publicity. The military authorities, with some delay, made loud statements that both the co-workers who committed violence and the officers who were criminally inactive would not escape punishment. As a result, junior sergeant Sivyakov received four years in a penal colony for abuse of office.

In turn, in relation to the three officers of the battalion, who were accused of negligence, the criminal cases were dropped. The prosecutor's office explained that "the investigation failed to establish a causal relationship between the inaction of the commanders and the consequences that occurred to their subordinate." While the junior sergeant was mocking Private Sychev, these officers, according to investigators, were performing their duties of checking the guards and combat training vehicles on duty in the park.

In the case of Private Roman Rudakov, officers do not appear at all. In September 2006, he was hospitalized with acute venous thrombosis. Private had an operation to remove the small intestine. During the proceedings, it turned out that Private Rudakov had been beaten several times by Corporal Maxim Lomonin.

The case received publicity thanks to human rights organizations. Lomonin was charged with abuse of power. Moreover, the corporal pleaded guilty and paid the victim's mother an amount of 10,000 rubles in a civil lawsuit.

The court, however, did not find a connection between Rudakov's illness and the actions of the corporal. It was reported that the private's hospitalization was due to a hereditary disease and not to beatings. However, taking into account Lomonin's confession, the court still delivered a guilty verdict, condemning the corporal to three years probation, with a two-year probationary period.

Comparing the case of Sergei Sinkonen with previous army scandals, it can be noted that the actions of the military authorities in relation to suspects have become much faster and tougher. Most likely, the experience of proceedings in previous cases, which caused such a wide resonance in society, affects.

Elena Korenevskaya