Nikolai Tikhomirov (chemical engineer)

Nikolai Ivanovich Tikhomirov was a Russian and Soviet chemical engineer. He was born in November 1859 and changed his name from Nikolai Viktorovich Slyotov. He worked on many important inventions.

Tikhomirov was a specialist in rocket technology. He founded the Gas Dynamics Laboratory, where he and his team did important research. He helped invent the Katyusha, a powerful rocket system.

For his contributions to science and technology, Tikhomirov was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor in 1991, even though he had passed away many years before. Today, his memory lives on. A crater on the far side of the Moon is named after him.

Biography

Born in November 1859 in Moscow, Nikolai Tikhomirov grew up in a noble family. He was originally named Nikolai Slyotov but later changed his name to Tikhomirov.

After school, he studied chemistry at Imperial Moscow University. He worked in labs and factories and wrote books about wool production. He moved to Ukraine, where he worked with large sugar companies. There, he invented new ways to make sugar and created useful devices for factories.

In 1894, Tikhomirov began studying rockets and made small models that moved using explosions. In 1909, he returned to Moscow to keep inventing. He designed rockets that used burning liquids or explosives to move and shared his ideas with leaders who supported his work.

In 1921, with a friend, he started a small workshop to build and test rockets. This workshop later became the Gas Dynamics Laboratory, where they developed new rocket technology. His work helped create the famous Katyusha rocket launcher. Tikhomirov died on 28 April 1930 in Leningrad.

Awards and recognition

• In 1970, the International Astronomical Union named a crater on the far side of the Moon after Tikhomirov.
• In 1987, a memorial plaque was placed in Leningrad to honor Tikhomirov for his work in rocket technology.
• In 1991, Tikhomirov and his team were recognized for creating the Katyusha rocket launcher. They were awarded the title of Heroes of Socialist Labor.