Rus. scientist and inventor who made a number of major discoveries in aerodynamics, rocketry and the theory of interplanetary communications.

Genus. in the village Izhevsk, Ryazan province, in the family of a forester. After suffering a serious illness (scarlet fever) in childhood, Ts. almost completely lost his hearing and was deprived of the opportunity to study at school and actively communicate with people. I studied independently; from 16 to 19 years old he lived in Moscow, studying physics and mathematics. sciences in the cycle of secondary and higher education. In 1879, Ts. passed the exams for the title of teacher as an external student and in 1880 was appointed teacher of arithmetic, geometry and physics at the Borovsk district school of Kaluga province. The first scientific research of Ts dates back to this time. On his own, without knowing about the discoveries already made, in 1881 he developed the fundamentals of kinetics. theory of gases. His second work, “Mechanics of the Animal Organism,” received a favorable review from the famous physiologist I.M. Sechenov, and Ts. was accepted as a member. Rus. physico-chemical about-va.

Ts.'s main works, carried out after 1884, were closely related to three major problems: the scientific justification of all-metal. aerostat (airship), a well-streamlined airplane and a rocket for interplanetary travel. Most scientific research on all-metal. The airship was completed in 1885-92. The description and calculations of the airplane were published. in 1894. Since 1896, Ts. systematically studied the theory of motion of jet vehicles and proposed a number of designs for long-range rockets and rockets for interplanetary travel. After Great Oct. socialist Revolution, he worked a lot and fruitfully to create a theory of jet flight.

The result of Ts.'s research work on the airship was op. "Theory and experience of a balloon" (1887), in which scientific and technical information is given. justification for the design of an airship with metallic shell. Drawings explaining the design details were attached to the work. The Ts airship differed favorably from its predecessors in a number of features. Firstly, it was an airship of variable volume, which made it possible to maintain a constant lift force at different temperatures ambient air and different flight altitudes. The ability to change the volume was structurally achieved using a special tightening system and a corrugated shell. Secondly, the gas filling the airship could be heated by the heat of the exhaust gases passed through the coils. The third design feature was the use of thin corrugated metal to increase the strength. shell, and the corrugation waves were located perpendicular to the axis of the airship. Selection of geometric The shape of the airship and the calculation of the strength of its thin shell were first carried out by Ts.

However, progressive for its time, the Ts airship project was not supported; the author was even denied a subsidy for the construction of the model. Ts.'s appeal to the general Russian headquarters The army was also unsuccessful. Ts.'s printed work, "Controllable Metal Balloon" (1892), received a certain number of sympathetic reviews, and that was all.

In 1892, Ts. moved to Kaluga, where he taught physics and mathematics at the gymnasium and diocesan school. IN scientific activity he turned to the new and little-explored field of heavier-than-air aircraft.

Ts. had the wonderful idea of ​​​​building an airplane with metal. frame. The article “Airplane or bird-like (aviation) flying machine” (1894) gives a description and drawings of a monoplane, which in its appearance and aerodynamics. the layout anticipated the designs of aircraft that appeared 15-18 years later. In an airplane, the wings have a thick profile with a rounded leading edge, and the fuselage has a streamlined shape. Ts. built the first aerodynamic machine in Russia in 1897. pipe, developed an experimental technique in it, and later (1900), with a subsidy from the Academy of Sciences, carried out purging of the simplest models and determined the resistance coefficients of a ball, flat plate, cylinder, cone, and other bodies. But the work on the airplane also did not receive recognition from representatives of the official Russian Federation. science. Ts had neither the funds nor even moral support for further research in this area.

The most important scientific results were obtained by Ts. in the theory of rocket motion. Thoughts on Using the Principle jet propulsion For the purposes of flying, Ts. expressed his views as early as 1883, but his creation of a mathematically rigorous theory of jet propulsion dates back to the very end of the 19th century. In 1903, in the article “Exploration of World Spaces with Jet Instruments,” based on general theorems of mechanics, Ts. gave a theory of rocket flight, taking into account changes in its mass during movement, and also substantiated the possibility of using jet vehicles for interplanetary communications. Rigorous mathematical the proof of the possibility of using a rocket to solve scientific problems, the use of rocket engines to create the movement of grandiose interplanetary ships belongs entirely to Ts. In this article and in its subsequent continuations, he for the first time in the world gave the foundations of the theory of a liquid jet engine, as well as the elements of its design.

In 1929, Ts. developed a very fruitful theory of the movement of composite rockets or rocket trains; he proposed two types of composite missiles for implementation. One type is a sequential composite rocket, consisting of several rockets connected one after the other. During takeoff, the last (bottom) rocket is the pusher. After using up her fuel, she becomes separated from the train and falls to the ground. Next, the engine of the rocket, which turned out to be the last, begins to operate. For the remaining ones, this rocket is a pusher until its fuel is completely used up, and then it is also separated from the train. Only the lead rocket reaches the flight target, reaching significantly more high speed than a single rocket, because it is accelerated by the rockets thrown away during its movement.

The second type of composite rocket ( parallel connection series of missiles) was called the Ts. squadron of missiles. In this case, according to Ts., all rockets operate simultaneously until half of their fuel is used up. Then the outer missiles drain the remaining fuel supply into the half-empty tanks of the remaining missiles and are separated from rocket train. The process of fuel transfer is repeated until only one lead missile remains from the train, which has gained a very high speed.

Creating a reasonable design for a composite rocket is one of the most pressing problems that scientists and engineers are working on.

Ts. was the first to solve the problem of the movement of a rocket in a uniform gravitational field and calculated the necessary fuel reserves to overcome the force of gravity of the Earth. He roughly examined the influence of the atmosphere on the flight of a rocket and calculated the necessary fuel reserves to overcome the resistance forces of the Earth's air shell.

Ts. is the founder of the theory of interplanetary communications. The question of interplanetary travel interested Ts. from the very beginning of his scientific research. His research was the first to strictly scientifically demonstrate the possibility of a space flight. speeds, despite high technical requirements. practical difficulties implementation of these flights. He was the first to study the issue of a rocket - an artificial Earth satellite, and expressed the idea of ​​​​creating extraterrestrial stations as intermediate bases for interplanetary communications, and examined in detail the living and working conditions of people on an artificial Earth satellite and interplanetary stations. Ts. put forward the idea of ​​gas rudders to control the flight of a rocket in airless space; he suggested gyroscopic. stabilization of the rocket in free flight in space where there are no gravity or resistance forces. Ts. understood the need to cool the walls of the combustion chamber of a jet engine, and his proposal to cool the chamber walls with fuel components is widely used in modern times. jet engine designs.

So that the rocket does not burn up like a meteorite when returning from space. space to the Earth, Ts. proposed special rocket planning trajectories to reduce speed when approaching the Earth, as well as methods for cooling the rocket walls with a liquid oxidizer. He explored large number various oxidizers and combustibles and for liquid jet engines recommended the following fuel pairs: liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen; alcohol and liquid oxygen; hydrocarbons and liquid oxygen or ozone.

Under Sov. authorities, the living and working conditions of Ts. changed radically. The government provided all possible assistance to his research, and there was great interest in it from public and scientific organizations. Ts. was assigned a personal pension and provided the opportunity for fruitful work.

Ts is also responsible for a number of studies in other fields of knowledge: aerodynamics, philosophy, linguistics, works on the social structure of people’s lives on artificial islands floating around the Sun between the orbits of the Earth and Mars. Some of these studies are controversial, some repeat the results obtained by other scientists. Ts. himself knew this well, but in the conditions of pre-revolutionary Kaluga he could not systematically follow world scientific literature. In 1928 he wrote: “I discovered a lot that had already been discovered before me. I recognize the significance of such work only for myself, since they gave me confidence in my abilities.” Ts.'s research on rocket technology and the theory of interplanetary travel serves as guiding material for modern science. designers and scientists involved in the creation of jet vehicles. C.'s ideas are being successfully implemented.

Works: Collected Works, vol. 1-2, M., 1951-54; Selected works, book. 1-2, L., 1934; Proceedings on rocket technology, M., 1947.

Lit.: Yuriev B. N., Life and work of K. E. Tsiolkovsky, in the book: Proceedings on the history of technology, vol. 1, M., 1952; Kosmodemyansky A. A., K. E. Tsiolkovsky - the founder of modern rocket dynamics, ibid.; by him, Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky, in the book: People of Russian Science, with a preface. and entry article by academician S. I. Vavilova, vol. 2, M.-L., 1948 (there is a list of works by Ts. and lit. about hem); Arlazorov M. S., Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky. His life and work, 2nd ed., M., 1957

Tsiolkovsky, Konstantin Eduardovich

(17.IX.1857-19.IX.1935) - Russian scientist and inventor, founder of modern cosmonautics and rocket technology. Genus. in the family of a forester in the village. Izhevsk (formerly Ryazan province). As a result of complications from scarlet fever in childhood, he lost his hearing and was deprived of the opportunity to enter an educational institution. He studied physics and mathematics on his own. In 1879, he passed the exam for the title of teacher as an external student, and the following year he was appointed a mathematics teacher at the district school of the mountains. Borowska. Since 1898, he taught mathematics and physics at a women's school in Kaluga.

Tsiolkovsky's first scientific research began in the 80s. In 1885-1892. he conducted much of his research into justifying the feasibility of building an all-metal airship. Since 1896, he began to systematically develop the theory of motion of jet vehicles. They proposed designs for long-range rockets and rockets for interplanetary travel. In 1903, in the article “Exploration of world spaces using jet instruments,” he used general laws mechanics to the theory of flight of a variable mass rocket and substantiated the possibility of interplanetary communications. Before the Great October Revolution socialist revolution Tsiolkovsky's ideas were not appreciated. After the revolution, the Soviet government provided extensive assistance to Tsiolkovsky's research. He was assigned a personal pension and given the opportunity to work. In 1929, he developed the theory of motion of composite multistage rockets, with great success used in modern astronautics. He was the first to develop the idea of ​​a rocket - an artificial Earth satellite and studied the living and working conditions of its crew. He believed that extraterrestrial stations should be intermediate bases for the further expansion of man into space. Tsiolkovsky is also the author of works on aerodynamics, philosophy, he developed social projects future human society.

Currently, Tsiolkovsky's works have received worldwide recognition. His research and ideas, confirmed by all the practice of modern astronautics, are widely used in the development of various space projects.

He was an honorary member of the Russian Society of World Studies Lovers, an honorary professor at the Air Fleet Academy. N. E. Zhukovsky. In the USSR, the complete collection of Tsiolkovsky's works was published in four volumes, and a gold medal was established in his name for outstanding work in the field of interplanetary communications.

Lit.: Arlazorov M. Tsiolkovsky. - M., "Young Guard", 1962. - Tsiolkovsky K. E. Collected Works. T. 1-4. - M., 1951-1964. - Yuriev B. N. Life and work of K. E. Tsiolkovsky. - In the book: Works on the history of technology, vol. 1. - M., 1952.

Tsiolkovsky, Konstantin Eduardovich

Outstanding scientist, one of the founders of astronautics, thinker. Genus. in the village Izhevskoe, now Ryazan region; from the family of a forester, a Russified Pole. As a child, I almost completely lost my hearing, and from the age of 14 I studied independently. From 16 to 19 years old he lived in Moscow, studied physics and mathematics. science according to secondary and higher school programs. While visiting the Rumyantsev Library, he met N.F. Fedorov, who, according to Ts. himself, replaced his university professors. In 1879, Ts. passed the exam as an external student for the title of teacher of arithmetic and geometry. In 1880 he received a teacher's diploma, and until 1920 he worked in schools in Borovsk, then Kaluga. He is also engaged in scientific research there. activities. At the center of his scientific interests were the problems of overcoming human death, the problem of the meaning of life, the problem of space, the place of man in space, the possibilities of infinite humanity. existence. He considered the most important means of solving these problems to be the invention of rockets and the settlement of humanity (due to the finiteness of the Earth) in other worlds. Reprinted in 1924. his articles on the rocket assert his world priority in this area. At the end of the 20s. acquires world fame as the head of a new scientific. directions - rocket dynamics. A rocket propulsion study group is being formed, headed by F.A. Tsander; S.P. Korolev came out of this group. Ts. died in Kaluga.

A.P. Alekseev

Cosmic Ts. defined philosophy as knowledge based only on the authority of “exact science,” and therefore it is often classified as a natural science. direction of cosmism. But in fact, cosmic. philosopher - worldview system, it contains a detailed metaphysics and ethics. Including certain fragments of scientific research. pictures of the world, worldview. C.'s concept goes far beyond the boundaries of scientific foundations. knowledge. A prominent place in it is given to faith, incl. religious Developing the idea of ​​the “first cause” or “reason” of the Universe, Ts. attributed to it properties usually considered as attributes of God. Implicitly cosmic. Philosopher Ts. was strongly influenced by theosophy and the occult. A characteristic feature of space Philosopher lies in the fact that it synthesizes various currents of Western history. (Plato, Leucippus, Democritus, Leibniz, Buchner, etc.) and Eastern, mainly esoteric philosophy. thoughts. This is due to its deep antinomy. The starting principle is cosmic. Philosopher C. stands for the principle atomistic panpsychism. According to Ts., “the indivisible basis or essence of the world” is made up of “atoms-spirits” (“ideal atoms”, “primitive spirits”). This is the metaphysical element. substances different from modern elementary particles. physics. “Spirit atoms” are the simplest “creatures” that have “sensitivity.” In its space ethics Ts. actually denied the personal basis of man. "I". For him, "I" -. this is the sensation of an “atom-spirit” located in living matter. It is “spirit atoms” that are the true citizens of the Universe, while man, like every animal, is a “union” of such atoms living in harmony with each other (Ethics or the natural foundations of morality // Archives of the Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 555. Op. 1 D. 372). The principle of monism is expressed in cosmic terms. Philosopher unity: a) the substantial basis of the world; b) material and spirit. the beginnings of the Universe; c) living and inanimate matter (“everything is alive and only temporarily exists in non-existence, in the form of unorganized dead matter” (Scientific Ethics // Essays on the Universe. M., 1992. P. 119); d) the unity of man and the Universe. Among the main belong to space Philosopher also principles infinity,evolution And anthropic principle. The universe, according to cosmic philos., is an integral living organism, which is “like the kindest and most intelligent animal” (The Will of the Universe. Unknown intelligent forces // Essays on the Universe. P.43). This understanding of the cosmos, which dates back to the Platonic tradition, clearly contrasted class with the image of the Universe. natural sciences. Many cosmoses can exist in infinite time, just as they exist in infinite space. Speaking against the recognition of the principle of increasing entropy, Ts. spoke of the “eternal emerging youth” of the Universe. He considered all processes to be periodic and reversible. This is what cosmic evolutionism consists of. philosophy, which also includes the idea of ​​​​infinite increase in the power of non-cosmic mind. Ts. saw the “meaning” of the Universe in the desire of matter for self-organization, the inevitability of the emergence of highly developed cosmic systems. civilizations. The idea of ​​the unity of man and the cosmos found expression in Ts. in the form of two additional principles of cosmism in their content: 1) the principle, which Ts. himself formulated as follows: “The fate of a being depends on the fate of the Universe” (firstly, “cause” and the “will” of the cosmos almost fatalistically determines human activity and behavior; secondly, the metaphysics of human destiny receives an original interpretation: there is no death); in the rhythms of the cosmos. evolution, death merges with a “new perfect birth”, this ensures subjective feeling"never ending happiness"; 2) a principle that can be formulated as follows: “The fate of the Universe depends on the cosmic mind, i.e. humanity and other cosmic civilizations, their transformative activities". Both of these principles coexist among Ts. He believed that for space exploration it was necessary to intervene in the evolution of the species "Homo sapiens", to improve the biological nature of man through natural and art selection. Highly developed space civilizations, visiting worlds, -ryh develops “imperfect, unreasonable and painful life”, has the right to destroy it, replacing it with “its own perfect breed” (Cosmic Philosophy // Essays on the Universe. P. 230). .

V.V.Kazyutinsky

Op.: Dreams of Earth and Sky. Kaluga, 1895 ;Nirvana. Kaluga, 1914 ;Grief and genius. Kaluga, 1916 ;The wealth of the Universe. Kaluga, 1920 ;Living Universe, 1923 ;Monism of the Universe. Kaluga, 1925 ;The future of the Earth and humanity. Kaluga, 1928 ; Public organization humanity. Kaluga, 1928 ;The will of the Universe. Unknown intelligent forces. Kaluga, 1928 ;Intelligence and passion. Kaluga, 1928 ;Engines of progress. Kaluga, 1928 ;Self love,or True self-love. Kaluga, 1928 ;Past of the Earth. Kaluga, 1928 ;Goals of astronautics. Kaluga, 1929 ;Plant of the future. Animal of space. Spontaneous generation. Kaluga, 1929 ;Scientific ethics. Kaluga,1930. Selected works. Book 1,2. L., 1934 ;Collection Op. T.1-4. M., 1951-1964 ;Thoughts about the future. Statements by K.E. Tsiolkovsky. Kaluga, 1958 ;Handwritten materials by K.E. Tsiolkovsky. Cm.:Proceedings of the Archive of the USSR Academy of Sciences. M.,1966. Issue 22;Monism of the Universe // Russian Cosmism. M., 1993 ;

Space philosophy // Ibid.

A.P. Alekseev

Tsiolkovsky, Konstantin Eduardovich

Outstanding Russian Founding scientist of astronautics, original thinker and science fiction writer. Genus. in the village of Izhevsk (Spasskogo district, Ryazan province), lost his hearing as a child and from the age of 14 he was engaged in self-education, in 1879 he passed the exam for the title of teacher as an external student and throughout his life he taught physics and mathematics in schools in Borovsk and Kaluga. While studying at the Rumyantsev Library in Moscow, I met a philosopher and bibliographer N. Fedorov, which “replaced... university professors”; Not without the influence of Fedorov's "Philosophy of the Common Cause" their own philosophies matured. Ts.'s views are a bizarre eclectic mixture of daring scientific. projects facing the future (Ts. can be considered a pioneer of domestic futurology), borrowed elements mysticism and occultism, a kind of religion. utopianism; everything together belongs to the Russian tradition. "cosmism" (see Religion, Philosophy, Utopia). At the end of 19 - beginning. 20th century published (often at his own expense) basic. scientific works that laid the foundation for modern times. astronautics (see Space flights); scientific Ts.'s merits were on the floor. least recognized only after Oct. revolution, the scientist was assigned a personal pension, and all his basic works reed. and became the property of scientists. message

NF TV Ts. is inseparable from its scientific. activities, on the one hand, and his philosophy. views - with others; The scientist considered this literature as one of the means of popularizing science. knowledge, therefore it would be more correct to call all his novels “SF essays.” Book hero "On the Moon" (1893 ) moves to Moon in a dream, although fundamental scientific. work by C. "Free space" was written four years earlier; but already on the trail. Op. - "Change in Relative Gravity on Earth" (1894 ) - a grand "tour" of solar system with thoughts regarding extraterrestrial life and prospects astroengineering; followed "Dreams of Earth and Sky and the Effects of Universal Gravity" (1895 ; etc. - "The heaviness has disappeared") represent a thought experiment; the "lit." the story remains "Out of Earth"(directed 1896; phragm. 1918 ; 1920 ), the mysterious and never explained prologue to the cut suggests interesting, but unfulfilled lit. plans of Ts. All his SF productions. ed. under one cover in Sat. "Path to the Stars" (1960 ).

These works, like the “fiction-philosopher.” (many were not published until very recently), they unite several. fundamental ideas that form the basis philosophy Ts. Kosmich. He thought of space not as an empty “container”, but as a stage, influenced by many different forms extraterrestrial life- from the most primitive to the immortal and almost omnipotent (see. Immortality, Gods and Demons, Religion, Supermind). For humanity itself, in full agreement with N. Fedorov, C. assumed an inevitable “fight with death”, in the process of which a person would gradually improve his body, turning it into a kind of autotrophic creature that feeds on radiant energy and practically independent of the environment (see. Biology, Superman). In this perspective space flight- not an end in itself, but only the first step towards the transformation of the earthly reason into the all-knowing and all-powerful ruler of space and time. In general, the influence of Ts.’s ideas on the process of “cosmization” of public consciousness in the 20th century, and, as a consequence, on cosmic. SF is hard to overestimate.

Vl. G., R. Shch.

N.A. Rynin "K.E. Tsiolkovsky, his life, works and rockets" (1931).

B.N. Vorobyov "Tsiolkovsky" (1940).

D. Dar "Good Hour" (1948), D.Dar“The Ballad of a Man and His Wings” (1956), M.S. Arlazorov “Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky, his life and work (1857-1938)” (1952; additional 1957).

M.S.Arlazorov "Tsiolkovsky" (1962).

A.A. Kosmodemyansky "Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky" (1976).

Tsiolkovsky, Konstantin Eduardovich

Russian scientist and inventor in the field of aeronautics, aviation and rocketry, founder of modern cosmonautics. Author of numerous scientific works. Developed a project for an all-metal airship. He was the first to put forward the idea of ​​​​building an airplane with a metal frame. In 1897 he built a wind tunnel and developed an experimental technique in it. He developed the theory of flight of rocket aircraft in the stratosphere and aircraft designs for flights at hypersonic speeds. In 1954, the USSR Academy of Sciences established a gold medal named after. K. E. Tsiolkovsky "For outstanding work in the field of interplanetary communications." His name is given to the Moscow Aviation technological institute, State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics, crater on the Moon.

Tsiolk O Vsky, Konstantin Eduardovich

Genus. 1857, d. 1935. Scientist, inventor, founder of modern astronautics. Specialist in the field of aerodynamics and rocket dynamics, aircraft and airship theory.

Large biographical encyclopedia. 2009 .

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Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Date of birth: September 5 (17), 1857 (1857 09 17) Place of birth: Izhevskoye, Ryazan province, Russian Empire ... Wikipedia

Russian Soviet scientist and inventor in the field of aerodynamics, rocket dynamics, aircraft and airship theory; founder of modern cosmonautics. Born into a family... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Tsiolkovsky, Konstantin Eduardovich- Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky. (1857 1935), Russian scientist and inventor; founder of astronautics. Works in the field of aerodynamics and rocket dynamics, the theory of aircraft and airships. For the first time I substantiated the possibility... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Tsiolkovsky Konstantin Eduardovich Encyclopedia "Aviation"

Tsiolkovsky Konstantin Eduardovich- K. E. Tsiolkovsky Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky (18571935) Russian scientist and inventor in the field of aeronautics, aviation and rocket technology; founder of modern cosmonautics. Ts.'s main works are devoted to scientific... ... Encyclopedia "Aviation"

- (1857 1935) Russian scientist and inventor, founder of modern astronautics. Works in the field of aerodynamics and rocket dynamics, the theory of aircraft and airships. As a child, I almost completely lost my hearing and studied independently from the age of 14; in 1879 as an external student... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary - The request "Tsiolkovsky" is redirected here. See also other meanings. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Date of birth: September 5 (17), 1857 Place of birth: Izhevskoe, Ryazan province, Russian Empire ... Wikipedia

- (1857 1935), scientist and inventor, founder of astronautics. Works in the field of aerodynamics and rocket dynamics, the theory of aircraft and airships. As a child, I almost completely lost my hearing and studied independently from the age of 14; in 1879, as an external student, he passed the exam for the title... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

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• Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. Selected works (number of volumes: 2), Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky. Perhaps everyone knows the name of Tsiolkovsky, after whom the crater on the far side of the Moon is named. An outstanding scientist who made a huge contribution to the development of rocket science, the founder...
  

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Biography of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (1857-1935)

Brief biography:

Place of birth: Izhevskoe,
Ryazan province,
Russian Empire

Place of death: Kaluga, RSFSR, USSR

– Soviet scientist and inventor: biography with photos, contributions to science and culture, the first model of a rocket, aerodynamic experiments.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was a Russian scientist involved in aeronautics, aerodynamics and astronautics, who invented the rocket and explored space. Tsiolkovsky - developer of the first model of a rocket for space flight. But its life ended before launch.

The birthplace of Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky was Izhevsk. His father, Eduard Ignatievich, was known as a Polish nobleman with average income, and his mother, Maria Ivanovna Yumasheva, was of Tatar origin. The future scientist got “ explosive mixture» genes. Nine-year-old Kostya Tsiolkovsky was struck by scarlet fever, and its complications led to deafness.

After four years, he lost his mother. These two tragedies were destined to play a decisive role in shaping the life scenario of Constantine. The future scientist had to engage in self-education at home, which led to the development of isolation in the child. He was only friends with books. He became very interested in mathematics, physics and space. 16-year-old Tsiolkovsky in Moscow had to study chemistry, mathematics, astronomy and mechanics for three years.

Communication with others was carried out using a special hearing aid. But the cost of Moscow life was quite high and Tsiolkovsky, despite all his efforts, was unable to obtain sufficient funds, and in 1876, at the insistence of his father, he found himself in Vyatka. After passing the exams and receiving a teaching diploma, he began teaching. The Borovsk school, where he worked, was located a hundred kilometers from Belokamennaya. In Borovsk he had the chance to get married; Varvara Efgrafovna Sokolova became his wife.

Russian scientific centers were far away, deafness did not leave, but this did not stop Tsiolkovsky from engaging in independent aerodynamic research. First, he developed the kinetic theory of gases. In response to his message with calculations to the Russian Physicochemical Society, Mendeleev said that this theory had already been discovered a quarter of a century ago. Tsiolkovsky managed to survive this blow and not stop researching. Petersburg drew attention to the gifted and extraordinary Vyatka teacher, he received an offer of membership in the above-mentioned society.

Since 1892, Kaluga became the place of work of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. The teacher's studies in science, astronautics and aeronautics continued. At the new location, Tsiolkovsky constructed a special tunnel to measure various aerodynamic parameters that characterize aircraft. The Physicochemical Society did not allocate any funds for the experiments; the scientist continued his research using family savings. Tsiolkovsky's money went towards experimental models (over 100) and their testing. When the society finally allocated financial support to the Kaluga genius in the amount of 470 rubles, Tsiolkovsky carried out the construction of a new, improved tunnel.

Aerodynamic experiments increased Tsiolkovsky's interest in space problems. 1895 was the year of publication of his “Dreams of Earth and Sky”; the next year he published an article devoted to other worlds, intelligent beings inhabiting other planets, and their communication with earthlings. At the same time, Tsiolkovsky began writing “Exploration of outer space using a jet engine.” The book, which became the scientist’s main work, was devoted to problems associated with the use of rocket engines in outer space - navigation mechanisms, fuel supply and transportation, etc.

The first fifteen years of the twentieth century can be said to be the most difficult years lived by a scientist. 1902 was the year of the suicide of his son Ignatius. In 1908, the Oka overflowed so much that a house was flooded, which led to the loss of many cars, exhibits and unique calculations. The Physicochemical Society did not give a proper assessment of the significance and revolutionary nature that were inherent in Tsiolkovsky’s iron models.

The Bolsheviks, having gained power, changed the situation to some extent - the new government became interested in the scientist’s developments, which was reflected in providing Tsiolkovsky with significant material support. The year 1919 brought Tsiolkovsky election as a member of the Socialist Academy (later to become the USSR Academy of Sciences); from November 9, 1921, the scientist received a lifelong pension, as a person who enriched the domestic and world science. This pension was paid until September 19, 1935 - the day of death greatest man, Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky. The place of death was the scientist’s native Kaluga.

Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky was born in the village of Izhevskoye, which was located in the Spassky district of the Ryazan Province, in 1857 on September 5. He was a great Soviet scientist, researcher and inventor in the field of rocket and aerodynamics, as well as the main founder of modern cosmonautics.

As you know, Konstantin Eduardovich was a child in a family of ordinary foresters, and in childhood, due to scarlet fever, he almost completely lost his hearing. This fact became the reason that the great scientist was unable to continue studying in high school, and he had to switch to self-study. During his youth, Tsiolkovsky lived in Moscow, and there he studied mathematical sciences according to the higher school program. In 1879, he successfully passed all the exams, and the next year he was appointed teacher of geometry and arithmetic at the Borovsky School, located in the Kaluga province.

It dates back to this time greatest number scientific research of Konstantin Eduardovich, which was noted by such a scientist-encyclopedist and physiologist as Ivan Mikhailovich Sechenov, which was the reason for Tsiolkovsky’s acceptance into the Russian physicochemical community. Almost all of the works of this great inventor were devoted to jet vehicles, airplanes, airships, and many other aerodynamic studies.

It is worth especially noting that it was Konstantin Eduardovich who came up with a completely new idea for those times of building an airplane with a metal skin and frame. In addition, in 1898, Tsiolkovsky became the first Russian citizen to independently develop and build a wind tunnel, which later began to be used in many flying machines.

The passion to understand the sky and space prompted Konstantin Eduardovich to write more than four hundred works, which are known only to a small circle of his admirers.

Among other things, thanks to the unique and thoughtful proposals of this great researcher, today almost all military artillery uses trestles for launching volley fire. In addition, it was Tsiolkovsky who thought of a way to refuel missiles during their actual flight.

Konstantin Eduardovich had four children: Lyubov, Ignatius, Alexander and Ivan.

In 1932, Tsiolkovsky was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and in 1954, on the occasion of the centenary, a medal was named after him, which was awarded to scientists for special works in the field of interplanetary communications.

On September 17, 1857, exactly 160 years ago, Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky was born - a brilliant Russian scientist, a man who stood at the origins of theoretical cosmonautics. “Russians in space” is the result of his whole life too.

The uniqueness of Tsiolkovsky lies not only in his colossal contribution to the comprehension of celestial and outer space, but also in general in the versatility of his nature. Tsiolkovsky not only formulated and developed cosmonautics, rocket science, aeronautics and aerodynamics. He was a philosopher and writer, one of the brightest representatives of Russian cosmism and the author of a number of works at the intersection of science and science fiction literature, in which he called for the exploration and settlement of outer space.

The very origin of Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky seemed to symbolize the unity of the two components of Russia - the Western, European, and the Eastern, Asian, and they were, of course, connected by Russian culture. On his father's side, Konstantin belonged to the Polish noble family of the Tsiolkovskys, whose representatives already at the end of the 18th century became greatly impoverished and actually led the life of ordinary employees. The father of the future founder of astronautics, Eduard Ignatievich Tsiolkovsky (Makar-Eduard-Erasmus Tsiolkovsky), graduated from the Forestry and Land Surveying Institute in St. Petersburg and served as a forester. The maternal line of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky is the Yumashev family, of Tatar origin. Even under John IV, the ancestors of his mother Maria Ivanovna Yumasheva, small landed nobles, moved to the Pskov region. There they gradually became Russified and adopted the Russian tradition.

Konstantin Eduardovich was born in the village of Izhevsk near Ryazan, where his father served at that time. In 1868, my father transferred to Vyatka, where he received the position of chief of the Forestry Department. In Vyatka, Konstantin went to the local gymnasium. Studying at the gymnasium was difficult for the future genius. The situation was complicated by the fact that in childhood, while sledding, Konstantin caught a cold, suffered from scarlet fever and, as a result of complications, suffered partial hearing loss. This illness also did not contribute to good studies. Moreover, in 1869, Konstantin’s elder brother Dmitry, who studied at Maritime School in St. Petersburg. The death of the eldest son became a terrible blow for his mother, Maria Ivanovna, and in 1870 she died suddenly. Left without a mother, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky began to show even less zeal for his studies, stayed for the second year, and in 1873 he was expelled from the gymnasium with a recommendation “to enter a technical school.” This is how Tsiolkovsky’s formal education ended - after being expelled from the gymnasium, he never studied anywhere else. I didn’t study – in the official, formal sense of the word. In fact, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky studied all his life. It was self-education that allowed him to become the person who is remembered 160 years after his birth.

In July 1873, his father sent Konstantin to Moscow to enter the Higher Technical School (now Bauman Moscow State Technical University). The young man received with him a letter to his father’s friend, in which Edward asked him to help his son settle in a new place. But this letter was lost by Tsiolkovsky, after which the young man rented a room on Nemetskaya Street and began self-education in the free Chertkovsky public library. It must be said that Tsiolkovsky approached his self-education very thoroughly. He didn’t have enough money - his father sent him only 10-15 rubles a month. Therefore, Tsiolkovsky lived on bread and water - literally. But he patiently went to the library and gnawed on the granite of sciences - physics, mathematics, chemistry, geometry, astronomy, mechanics. Konstantin did not ignore humanities.

Konstantin lived in Moscow for 3 years. He had to return to Vyatka for the reason that his father, who was aging and about to retire, could no longer send him even the meager money that he had sent before. Upon his return, Tsiolkovsky, thanks to his parents’ connections, was able to quickly find a clientele and give private lessons. After his father retired in 1878, the entire remaining Tsiolkovsky family returned to Ryazan. In the fall of 1879, at the First Provincial Gymnasium of Ryazan, Konstantin successfully passed the full exam to become a district mathematics teacher. After passing the exam, Konstantin was sent to the Borovsk district school as an arithmetic teacher, where he left in January 1880. In Borovsk, located 100 km from Moscow, Konstantin spent the next 12 years of his life. It was during the years of his life in Borovsk that Tsiolkovsky began to develop the theory of aerodynamics, dreaming of conquering the sky. In 1886, he completed the work “Theory and experience of a balloon having an elongated shape in the horizontal direction,” based on the experience of constructing and testing his own balloon design. Around the same time, in 1887, Tsiolkovsky published his first literary work, the science fiction story “On the Moon.” From now on, science fiction will occupy him no less than theoretical foundations aeronautics.

In 1892, Tsiolkovsky, who by that time was considered one of the best teachers in Borovsk, on the recommendation of the director of public schools D.S. Unkovsky was transferred to Kaluga - to the Kaluga District School. Konstantin Eduardovich settled in Kaluga for the rest of his life. It was here that he carried out most of his scientific developments and formed his scientific and philosophical system of views.

As you know, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky was not only a practical scientist, but also a philosopher of science. In his philosophical views, he aligned himself with the Russian cosmists. Even in his youth, while studying at the Moscow library, Tsiolkovsky met Nikolai Fedorovich Fedorov, an assistant librarian who was in fact a prominent religious philosopher and scientist, the “Moscow Socrates,” as his enthusiastic students called him. However, due to his natural shyness and “wildness,” as Tsiolkovsky himself later recalled, he never became acquainted with the philosophical concept of Nikolai Fedorov, one of the founders of Russian cosmism.

Fedorov believed that chaos prevails in the Universe, which has destructive consequences. To avoid the destruction of the Universe, it is necessary to transform the world, combining science and religious truths, uniting humanity around a certain “Common Cause”. In Fedorov’s concept, religion did not contradict science, and humanity had to achieve the ability to control nature, overcome the finiteness of space and time, and master space. The very idea of ​​resurrecting dead people through the use of scientific achievements was surprising. Tsiolkovsky, following generally in line with the ideas of Russian cosmism, no longer represented its religious, but its natural science direction.

One of the most important achievements of Tsiolkovsky’s philosophy was the understanding of space not just as a physical environment containing matter and energy, but as a space for the application of human creative energy and abilities. Tsiolkovsky was enthusiastic about space, considering it a container of contentment and joy, since outer space should be inhabited by perfect organisms that were able to conquer and master it. Man, mastering space, also improves and approaches these perfect organisms.

According to Tsiolkovsky, space exploration is integral and the most important stage evolution of humanity. Believing in the improvement and development of humanity, Tsiolkovsky was convinced that modern man had room to develop. He must overcome his immaturity, the consequences of which are wars and crimes. It was in scientific and technological progress that Tsiolkovsky saw a way of radical transformation of both the surrounding world and humanity itself. But, at the same time, being a consistent supporter of the scientific and technological revolution, Tsiolkovsky did not forget about ethical issues, which were of great importance within the framework of his philosophical concept.

Tsiolkovsky's space ethics is very original. For example, it recognizes the superiority of some forms of life, which are developed and have a future, over others - imperfect, undeveloped. The colonization of outer space is carried out precisely by developed, perfect forms, which eradicate primitive organisms. At the same time, Tsiolkovsky shares the idea of ​​“reasonable egoism,” which consists of “true selfishness, concern for the future of one’s atoms.” Since atoms are exchanged in space, intelligent beings are in a moral relationship. The conditions for the successful development of atoms in the Universe are created precisely by perfect and developed organisms. Any further complication of organisms is, from Tsiolkovsky’s point of view, a great benefit.

Such views of Tsiolkovsky also influenced his position regarding the social and demographic development of society. Although Tsiolkovsky always paid the main attention in his philosophical concept to issues of space and cosmic mind, he was not alien to the so-called. “social engineering”, formulating his own vision of eugenics. No, Tsiolkovsky’s eugenics had nothing in common with the eugenic theories of European racists, popular at the beginning of the twentieth century. But Tsiolkovsky argued that the future of humanity, its improvement and prosperous development depend on how many geniuses are born in the world - the locomotives of this development. In order for more geniuses to be born, this process, from Tsiolkovsky’s point of view, must be controlled. In every city or locality it is necessary to create and equip the so-called "best houses" They should allocate apartments for the most capable and talented men and women. Marriages like this brilliant people“should be concluded only with appropriate permission, just as appropriate permission must also be obtained for childbearing. Tsiolkovsky believed that the implementation of this measure would lead to the fact that in a few generations the number of talented and capable people and even geniuses would rapidly increase, because geniuses will marry only with their own kind and children will be born from a genius father and a genius mother, inheriting all qualities biological parents.

Of course, many of Tsiolkovsky’s views now seem naive, and some seem overly radical. For example, he argued the need to rid society of the sick, crippled, and feeble-minded. Such people must be taken good care of, but they should not give birth to offspring, and if they are prevented from reproducing, then humanity will become better over time, Tsiolkovsky believed. As for the criminals, the scientist and philosopher suggested “splitting them into atoms.”

Special treatment Tsiolkovsky had to do with issues of death and immortality. Tsiolkovsky, as well as some other representatives of the philosophy of Russian cosmism, was characterized by belief in the possibility of rationally achieving human immortality - with the help of scientific progress. They derived the possibility of immortality from the greatness of the Cosmos, the life of which cannot but be endless. At the same time, cosmists understood that immortality is not necessary for an imperfect person; the infinity of existence makes sense only for perfect, intelligent creatures. From Tsiolkovsky’s point of view, at the current stage of human development, death plays the role of artificial selection, contributing to the further improvement of the human race. The relative death of a person, like that of another creature, from Tsiolkovsky’s point of view, is a certain stop in existence that does not bring absolute death. After the death of man, atoms take on more simple form, but they can be reborn again.
At the same time, since dying always brings suffering, Tsiolkovsky views it as an undesirable process. The death of a “reasonable being” is especially undesirable, since it interrupts the implementation of the latter’s plans and tasks and this slows down the overall development of humanity, negatively affecting its improvement. Here Tsiolkovsky approaches the idea of ​​immortalism - personal physical immortality for a specific person, which, in his opinion, can be realized in three ways: extension human life(to begin with, up to 125-200 years), a change in the very nature of man and his body, the degeneration of the human personality.

The October Revolution occurred when Tsiolkovsky was already an elderly man. For the next 18 years he lived in the Soviet state and, it must be said, Tsiolkovsky had quite good relations with the Soviet government. For example, back in 1921 he was awarded a lifelong pension for his services to domestic and world science. It is unlikely that in tsarist Russia he would have received such encouragement. The Soviet authorities took Tsiolkovsky's research extremely seriously. After the death of the scientist, he became one of the “icons” of Soviet cosmonautics and rocket science, which were built, among other things, by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. Many streets in a number of cities of the Soviet Union, educational institutions, and museums were named after him. In many ways, it was thanks to the Soviet government that the “Kaluga dreamer” remained forever in Russia - not only as a projector, philosopher and science fiction writer, but also as a herald and theorist of space exploration.

Origin. Tsiolkovsky family

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky came from the Polish noble family of the Tsiolkovskys (Polish: Ciołkowski) of the Yastrzembets coat of arms. The first mention of the Tsiolkovskys belonging to the noble class dates back to 1697.

Coat of arms of Yastrzebiec

According to family legend, the Tsiolkovsky family traced its genealogy back to the Cossack Severin Nalivaiko, the leader of the anti-feudal peasant-Cossack uprising in Ukraine in the 16th century. Answering the question of how the Cossack family became noble, Sergei Samoilovich, a researcher of Tsiolkovsky’s work and biography, suggests that Nalivaiko’s descendants were exiled to the Plotsk Voivodeship, where they became related to a noble family and adopted their surname - Tsiolkovsky; this surname allegedly came from the name of the village of Tselkovo (that is, Telyatnikovo, Polish Ciołkowo).

However modern research do not confirm this legend. The genealogy of the Tsiolkovskys has been restored approximately to the middle of the 17th century; their relationship with Nalivaiko has not been established and is only in the nature of a family legend. Obviously, this legend appealed to Konstantin Eduardovich himself - in fact, it is known only from himself (from autobiographical notes). In addition, in the copy of the “Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron” that belonged to the scientist, the article “Nalivaiko, Severin” is crossed out with a charcoal pencil - this is how Tsiolkovsky marked the most interesting places in the books for himself.

It is documented that the founder of the family was a certain Maciey (Polish Maciey, in modern spelling Polish Maciej), who had three sons: Stanislav, Jacob (Yakub, Polish Jakub) and Valerian, who after the death of their father became the owners of the villages of Velikoye Tselkovo, Maloe Tselkovo and Snegovo. The surviving record says that the landowners of the Płock Voivodeship, the Tsiolkovsky brothers, took part in the election of the Polish king Augustus the Strong in 1697. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky is a descendant of Yakov.

By the end of the 18th century, the Tsiolkovsky family became greatly impoverished. In conditions of deep crisis and collapse of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Polish nobility also experienced difficult times. In 1777, 5 years after the first partition of Poland, K. E. Tsiolkovsky’s great-grandfather Tomas (Foma) sold the Velikoye Tselkovo estate and moved to the Berdichev district of the Kyiv voivodeship in Right Bank Ukraine, and then to the Zhitomir district of the Volyn province. Many subsequent members of the family held minor positions in the judiciary. Not having any significant privileges from their nobility, they forgot about it and their coat of arms for a long time.

On May 28, 1834, K. E. Tsiolkovsky’s grandfather, Ignatius Fomich, received certificates of “noble dignity” so that his sons, according to the laws of that time, would have the opportunity to continue their education. Thus, starting with father K. E. Tsiolkovsky, the family regained its noble title.

Parents of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Konstantin's father, Eduard Ignatievich Tsiolkovsky (1820-1881, full name - Makar-Eduard-Erasm, Makary Edward Erazm). Born in the village of Korostyanin (now Goshchansky district, Rivne region in northwestern Ukraine). In 1841 he graduated from the Forestry and Land Surveying Institute in St. Petersburg, then served as a forester in the Olonets and St. Petersburg provinces. In 1843 he was transferred to the Pronsky forestry of the Spassky district of the Ryazan province.

Father, Eduard Ignatievich Tsiolkovsky

While living in the village of Izhevsk, he met his future wife Maria Ivanovna Yumasheva (1832-1870), mother of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky. Having Tatar roots, she was raised in the Russian tradition. The ancestors of Maria Ivanovna moved to the Pskov province under Ivan the Terrible. Her parents, small landed nobles, also owned cooperage and basketry workshops. Maria Ivanovna was an educated woman: she graduated from high school, knew Latin, mathematics and other sciences.

Almost immediately after the wedding in 1849, the Tsiolkovsky couple moved to the village of Izhevskoye, Spassky district, where they lived until 1860.

Mother, Maria Ivanovna Yumasheva

Childhood. Izhevskoe. Ryazan (1857-1868)

Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky was born on September 5 (17), 1857 in the village of Izhevsk near Ryazan. He was baptized in St. Nicholas Church. The name Konstantin was completely new in the Tsiolkovsky family; it was given by the name of the priest who baptized the baby.

Kostya Tsiolkovsky, Ryazan, 1863 or 1864

At the age of nine, Kostya, while sledding at the beginning of winter, caught a cold and fell ill with scarlet fever. As a result of complications after serious illness I partially lost my hearing. There came what Konstantin Eduardovich later called “the saddest, darkest time of my life.” Hearing loss deprived the boy of many childhood fun and experiences familiar to his healthy peers.

At this time, Kostya first begins to show interest in craftsmanship. “I liked making doll skates, houses, sleds, clocks with weights, etc. All this was made of paper and cardboard and joined with sealing wax,” he would write later.

In 1868, the surveying and taxation classes were closed, and Eduard Ignatievich again lost his job. The next move was to Vyatka, where there was a large Polish community and the father of the family had two brothers, who probably helped him get the position of head of the Forestry Department.

Vyatka. Training at the gymnasium. Death of mother (1869-1873)

During their life in Vyatka, the Tsiolkovsky family changed several apartments. For the last 5 years (from 1873 to 1878) they lived in the wing of the Shuravin merchants' estate on Preobrazhenskaya Street.

In 1869, Kostya, together with his younger brother Ignatius, entered the first class of the Vyatka men's gymnasium. Studying was very difficult, there were a lot of subjects, the teachers were strict. Deafness was a big hindrance: “I couldn’t hear the teachers at all or heard only vague sounds.”

“Once again I ask you, Dmitry Ivanovich, to take my work under your protection. The oppression of circumstances, deafness from the age of ten, the resulting ignorance of life and people and other unfavorable conditions, I hope, will excuse my weakness in your eyes.”

In the same year, sad news came from St. Petersburg - the elder brother Dmitry, who studied at the Naval School, died. This death shocked the whole family, but especially Maria Ivanovna. In 1870, Kostya’s mother, whom he loved dearly, died unexpectedly.

Grief crushed the orphaned boy. Already not shining with success in his studies, oppressed by the misfortunes that befell him, Kostya studied worse and worse. He became much more acutely aware of his deafness, which hampered his studies at school and made him more and more isolated. For pranks, he was repeatedly punished and ended up in a punishment cell. In the second grade, Kostya stayed for the second year, and from the third (in 1873) he was expelled with the characteristic “... for admission to a technical school.” After that, Konstantin never studied anywhere - he studied exclusively on his own; During these classes, he used his father's small library (which contained books on science and mathematics). Unlike gymnasium teachers, books generously endowed him with knowledge and never made the slightest reproach.

At the same time, Kostya became involved in technical and scientific creativity. He independently made an astrolabe (the first distance it measured was to a fire tower), a home lathe, self-propelled carriages and locomotives. The devices were driven by spiral springs, which Konstantin extracted from old crinolines bought at the market. He was fond of magic tricks and made various boxes in which objects appeared and disappeared. Experiments with a paper model of a hydrogen-filled balloon ended in failure, but Konstantin does not despair, continues to work on the model, and is thinking about a project for a car with wings.

Moscow. Self-education. Meeting with Nikolai Fedorov (1873-1876)

Believing in his son’s abilities, in July 1873, Eduard Ignatievich decided to send Konstantin to Moscow to enter the Higher Technical School (now Bauman Moscow State Technical University), providing him with a covering letter to his friend asking him to help him get settled. However, Konstantin lost the letter and only remembered the address: Nemetskaya Street (now Baumanskaya Street). Having reached it, the young man rented a room in the laundress’s apartment.

For unknown reasons, Konstantin never entered the school, but decided to continue his education on his own. Living literally on bread and water (my father sent me 10-15 rubles a month), I began to study hard. “I had nothing then except water and black bread. Every three days I went to the bakery and bought 9 kopecks worth of bread there. Thus, I lived on 90 kopecks a month.” To save money, Konstantin moved around Moscow only on foot. He spent all his free money on books, instruments and chemicals.

Every day from ten in the morning until three or four in the afternoon, the young man studied science in the Chertkovo Public Library - the only free library in Moscow at that time.

In this library, Tsiolkovsky met with the founder of Russian cosmism, Nikolai Fedorovich Fedorov, who worked there as an assistant librarian (an employee who was constantly in the hall), but never recognized the famous thinker in the humble employee. “He gave me forbidden books. Then it turned out that he was a famous ascetic, a friend of Tolstoy and an amazing philosopher and modest man. He gave away all his tiny salary to the poor. Now I see that he wanted to make me his boarder, but he failed: I was too shy,” Konstantin Eduardovich later wrote in his autobiography. Tsiolkovsky admitted that Fedorov replaced university professors for him. However, this influence manifested itself much later, ten years after the death of Moscow Socrates, and during his stay in Moscow, Konstantin knew nothing about the views of Nikolai Fedorovich, and they never spoke about Cosmos.

Work in the library was subject to a clear routine. In the morning, Konstantin studied exact and natural sciences, which required concentration and clarity of mind. Then he switched to simpler material: fiction and journalism. He actively studied “thick” magazines, where both review scientific articles and journalistic articles were published. He enthusiastically read Shakespeare, Leo Tolstoy, Turgenev, and admired the articles of Dmitry Pisarev: “Pisarev made me tremble with joy and happiness. In him I then saw my second “I.”

During the first year of his life in Moscow, Tsiolkovsky studied physics and the beginnings of mathematics. In 1874, the Chertkov Library moved to the building of the Rumyantsev Museum, and Nikolai Fedorov moved to a new place of work with it. In the new reading room, Konstantin studies differential and integral calculus, higher algebra, analytical and spherical geometry. Then astronomy, mechanics, chemistry.

In three years, Konstantin completely mastered the gymnasium curriculum, as well as a significant part of the university curriculum.

Unfortunately, his father could no longer pay for his stay in Moscow and, moreover, was not feeling well and was preparing to retire. With the knowledge he gained, Konstantin could easily begin independent work in the provinces, as well as continue his education outside of Moscow. In the fall of 1876, Eduard Ignatievich called his son back to Vyatka, and Konstantin returned home.

Return to Vyatka. Tutoring (1876-1878)

Konstantin returned to Vyatka weak, emaciated and emaciated. Difficult living conditions in Moscow and intense work also led to deterioration of vision. After returning home, Tsiolkovsky began wearing glasses. Having regained his strength, Konstantin began giving private lessons in physics and mathematics. I learned my first lesson thanks to my father’s connections in liberal society. Having proven himself to be a talented teacher, he subsequently had no shortage of students.

When teaching lessons, Tsiolkovsky used his own original methods, the main of which was a visual demonstration - Konstantin made paper models of polyhedra for geometry lessons, together with his students he conducted numerous experiments in physics lessons, which earned him the reputation of a teacher who well and clearly explains the material in his classes. always interesting. To make models and conduct experiments, Tsiolkovsky rented a workshop. Everything is yours free time spent in it or in the library. I read a lot - specialized literature, fiction, journalism. According to his autobiography, at this time I read the magazines Sovremennik, Delo, and Otechestvennye zapiski for all the years that they were published. At the same time, he read Isaac Newton’s “Principia,” whose scientific views Tsiolkovsky adhered to for the rest of his life.

At the end of 1876, Konstantin's younger brother Ignatius died. The brothers were very close from childhood, Konstantin trusted Ignatius with his innermost thoughts, and his brother’s death was a heavy blow.

By 1877, Eduard Ignatievich was already very weak and ill, the tragic death of his wife and children affected (except for the sons Dmitry and Ignatius, during these years the Tsiolkovskys lost their youngest daughter - Ekaterina - she died in 1875, during the absence of Konstantin), the head of the family left resign. In 1878, the entire Tsiolkovsky family returned to Ryazan.

Return to Ryazan. Examinations for the title of teacher (1878-1880)

Upon returning to Ryazan, the family lived on Sadovaya Street. Immediately after his arrival, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky passed a medical examination and was released from prison. military service due to deafness. The family intended to buy a house and live on the income from it, but the unexpected happened - Konstantin quarreled with his father. As a result, Konstantin rented a separate room from the employee Palkin and was forced to look for other means of livelihood, since his personal savings accumulated from private lessons in Vyatka were coming to an end, and in Ryazan an unknown tutor could not find students without recommendations.

Certificate of a district mathematics teacher received by Tsiolkovsky

To continue working as a teacher, a certain, documented qualification was required. In the fall of 1879, at the First Provincial Gymnasium, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky took an external examination to become a district mathematics teacher. As a “self-taught” student, he had to pass a “full” exam - not only the subject itself, but also grammar, catechism, liturgy and others compulsory disciplines. Tsiolkovsky was never interested in or studied these subjects, but managed to prepare in a short time.

Having successfully passed the exam, Tsiolkovsky received a referral from the Ministry of Education to the position of teacher of arithmetic and geometry at the Borovsk district school in the Kaluga province (Borovsk was located 100 km from Moscow) and in January 1880 he left Ryazan.

Borovsk. Creating a family. Work at school. First scientific works and publications (1880-1892)

In Borovsk, the unofficial capital of the Old Believers, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky lived and taught for 12 years, started a family, made several friends, and wrote his first scientific works. At this time, his contacts with the Russian scientific community began, and his first publications were published.

“Morals in Borovsk were wild; fist violence and the rule of the strong often reigned on the streets. There were three chapels in the city of different faiths. Often members of the same family belonged to different sects and ate from different dishes.

At holidays, during weddings, the rich rode dashingly on trotters, paraded around the city with some bride’s dowry, right down to feather beds, buffets, geese and roosters, and wild drinking sessions and parties were held. The schismatics fought with other sects.

From the memoirs of Lyubov Konstantinovna, the daughter of a scientist"

Arrival in Borovsk and marriage

Upon arrival, Tsiolkovsky stayed in hotel rooms on the central square of the city. After a long search for more convenient housing, Tsiolkovsky, on the recommendation of the residents of Borovsk, “ended up living with a widower and his daughter who lived on the outskirts of the city” - E. E. Sokolov, a widower, a priest of the United Faith Church. He was given two rooms and a table of soup and porridge. Sokolov's daughter Varya was only two months younger than Tsiolkovsky; Her character and hard work pleased him, and soon Tsiolkovsky married her; they got married on August 20, 1880 in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Tsiolkovsky did not take any dowry for the bride, there was no wedding, the wedding was not advertised.

In January of the following year, K. E. Tsiolkovsky’s father died in Ryazan.

Work at school

The building of the former Borovsky district school. In the foreground is a memorial cross on the site of the ruined grave of noblewoman Morozova. 2007

At the Borovsky district school, Konstantin Tsiolkovsky continued to improve as a teacher: he taught arithmetic and geometry in a non-standard way, came up with exciting problems and set up amazing experiments, especially for the Borovsk boys. Several times he and his students launched a huge paper balloon with a “gondola” containing burning splinters to heat the air.

Sometimes Tsiolkovsky had to replace other teachers and teach lessons in drawing, drawing, history, geography, and once even replaced the school superintendent.

First scientific works. Russian Physical and Chemical Society

After classes at the school and on weekends, Tsiolkovsky continued his research at home: he worked on manuscripts, made drawings, and performed experiments. In his house, electric lightning flashes, thunder rumbles, bells ring, paper dolls dance.

Tsiolkovsky's very first work was devoted to the application of mechanics in biology. It was the article “Graphic representation of sensations” written in 1880; In this work, Tsiolkovsky developed the pessimistic theory of the “shaken zero”, characteristic of him at that time, and mathematically substantiated the idea of ​​the meaninglessness of human life (this theory, as the scientist later admitted, was destined to play a fatal role in his life and in the life of his family). Tsiolkovsky sent this article to the magazine “Russian Thought”, but it was not published there and the manuscript was not returned, and Konstantin switched to other topics.

In 1881, Tsiolkovsky wrote his first truly scientific work, “The Theory of Gases” (the manuscript of which has not been found). One day he was visited by student Vasily Lavrov, who offered his help, since he was heading to St. Petersburg and could submit the manuscript for consideration to the Russian Physicochemical Society (RFCS), a very authoritative scientific community in Russia at that time (Lavrov later transferred two following works by Tsiolkovsky). “The Theory of Gases” was written by Tsiolkovsky based on the books he had. Tsiolkovsky independently developed the foundations of the kinetic theory of gases. The article was reviewed, and Professor P. P. Fan der Fleet expressed his opinion about the study:

Although the article itself does not represent anything new and the conclusions in it are not entirely accurate, nevertheless it reveals great abilities and hard work in the author, since the author was not brought up in educational institution and owes his knowledge exclusively to himself... In view of this, it is desirable to promote the author’s further self-education...

The society decided to petition... for the transfer of Mr. Tsiolkovsky... to a city in which he could do scientific research.

Soon Tsiolkovsky received an answer from Mendeleev: the kinetic theory of gases was discovered 25 years ago. This fact became an unpleasant discovery for Konstantin; the reasons for his ignorance were isolation from the scientific community and lack of access to modern scientific literature. Despite the failure, Tsiolkovsky continued his research. The second scientific work transferred to the Russian Federal Chemical Society was the 1882 article “Mechanics like a variable organism.” Professor Anatoly Bogdanov called studying the “mechanics of the animal body” “madness.” Ivan Sechenov’s review was generally approving, but the work was not allowed to be published:

Tsiolkovsky's work undoubtedly proves his talent. The author agrees with French mechanistic biologists. It's a pity that it is not finished and not ready for printing...

The third work written in Borovsk and presented to the scientific community was the article “Duration of Radiation of the Sun” (1883), in which Tsiolkovsky described the mechanism of action of the star. He considered the Sun as an ideal gas ball, tried to determine the temperature and pressure at its center, and the lifetime of the Sun. Tsiolkovsky in his calculations used only the basic laws of mechanics (law of universal gravitation) and gas dynamics (Boyle-Mariotte law). The article was reviewed by Professor Ivan Borgman. According to Tsiolkovsky, he liked it, but since its original version contained practically no calculations, it “aroused mistrust.” However, it was Borgman who proposed to publish the work presented by the teacher from Borovsk, which, however, was not done.

Members of the Russian Physicochemical Society unanimously voted to accept Tsiolkovsky into their ranks, as reported in a letter. However, Konstantin did not answer: “Naive savagery and inexperience,” he later lamented.

Tsiolkovsky's next work, “Free Space,” 1883, was written in the form of a diary. This is a kind of thought experiment, the story is told on behalf of an observer located in free airless space and not experiencing the forces of attraction and resistance. Tsiolkovsky describes the sensations of such an observer, his capabilities and limitations in movement and manipulation of various objects. He analyzes the behavior of gases and liquids in “free space”, the functioning of various devices, and the physiology of living organisms - plants and animals. The main result of this work can be considered the principle first formulated by Tsiolkovsky about the only possible method of movement in “free space” - jet propulsion:

...In general, uniform motion along a curve or rectilinear uneven motion is associated in free space with a continuous loss of matter (support). Also, broken movement is associated with periodic loss of matter...

Metal airship theory. Society of Natural History Lovers. Russian Technical Society

One of the main problems that occupied Tsiolkovsky almost from the time he arrived in Borovsk was the theory of balloons. Soon he realized that this was the task that deserved the most attention:

In 1885, at the age of 28, I firmly decided to devote myself to aeronautics and theoretically develop a metal controllable balloon.

Tsiolkovsky developed a balloon of his own design, which resulted in the voluminous work “Theory and experience of a balloon having an elongated shape in the horizontal direction” (1885-1886). It provided scientific and technical justification for the creation of a completely new and original airship design with a thin metal shell. Tsiolkovsky provided drawings of general views of the balloon and some important components of its design. The main features of the airship developed by Tsiolkovsky:

• The volume of the shell was variable, which made it possible to maintain a constant lift force at different flight altitudes and temperatures atmospheric air surrounding the airship. This possibility was achieved due to corrugated sidewalls and a special tightening system.
• Tsiolkovsky avoided the use of explosive hydrogen; his airship was filled with hot air. The lifting height of the airship could be adjusted using a separately developed heating system. The air was heated by passing engine exhaust gases through coils.
• The thin metal shell was also corrugated, which increased its strength and stability. The corrugation waves were located perpendicular to the axis of the airship.

While working on this manuscript, Tsiolkovsky was visited by P. M. Golubitsky, already a well-known inventor in the field of telephony by that time. He invited Tsiolkovsky to go with him to Moscow and introduce himself to the famous Sofia Kovalevskaya, who had arrived briefly from Stockholm. However, Tsiolkovsky, by his own admission, did not dare to accept the offer: “My squalor and the resulting savagery prevented me from doing this. I didn't go. Maybe it's for the best."

Having refused a trip to Golubitsky, Tsiolkovsky took advantage of his other offer - he wrote a letter to Moscow, professor of Moscow University A.G. Stoletov, in which he spoke about his airship. Soon a reply letter arrived with an offer to speak at the Moscow Polytechnic Museum at a meeting of the Physics Department of the Society of Natural History Lovers.

In April 1887, Tsiolkovsky arrived in Moscow and, after a lengthy search, found the museum building. His report was entitled “On the possibility of building a metal balloon capable of changing its volume and even folding into a plane.” I didn’t have to read the report itself, just explain the main points. The listeners reacted favorably to the speaker, there were no fundamental objections, and several simple questions were asked. After completing the report, an offer was made to help Tsiolkovsky settle in Moscow, but no real help was forthcoming. On the advice of Stoletov, Konstantin Eduardovich handed over the manuscript of the report to N. E. Zhukovsky.

In his memoirs, Tsiolkovsky also mentions his acquaintance during this trip with the famous teacher A.F. Malinin, the author of textbooks on mathematics: “I considered his textbooks excellent and am very indebted to him.” They talked about aeronautics, but Tsiolkovsky failed to convince Malinin of the reality of creating a controlled airship. After returning from Moscow, there followed a long break in his work on the airship, associated with illness, travel, restoration of the economy and scientific materials lost in the fire and flood.

Model of a balloon shell made of corrugated metal (house-museum of K. E. Tsiolkovsky in Borovsk, 2007)

In 1889, Tsiolkovsky continued work on his airship. Assessing the failure in the Society of Natural History Lovers as a consequence of insufficient elaboration of his first manuscript about the balloon, Tsiolkovsky writes new article“On the possibility of building a metal balloon” (1890) and, together with a paper model of his airship, sends it to D. I. Mendeleev in St. Petersburg. Mendeleev, at the request of Tsiolkovsky, transferred all the materials to the Imperial Russian Technical Society (IRTO), V. I. Sreznevsky. Tsiolkovsky asked scientists to “help morally and morally as much as possible,” and also to allocate funds for the creation of a metal model of the balloon - 300 rubles. On October 23, 1890, at a meeting of the VII Department of the IRTS, Tsiolkovsky’s request was considered. The conclusion was given by military engineer E. S. Fedorov, a staunch supporter of heavier-than-air aircraft. The second opponent, the head of the first “personnel team of military aeronauts” A.M. Kovanko, like most of the other listeners, also denied the feasibility of devices like the one proposed. At this meeting, the IRTS decided:

1. It is very likely that the balloons will be metal.
2. Tsiolkovsky may, over time, provide significant services to aeronautics.
3. Still, it is still very difficult to arrange metal balloons. A balloon is a toy of the wind, and metal material is useless and inapplicable...

Provide moral support to Mr. Tsiolkovsky by informing him of the Department's opinion on his project. Reject the request for assistance for conducting experiments.

Despite the refusal of support, Tsiolkovsky sent thank you letter in IRTS. A small consolation was the message in Kaluga Provincial Gazette, and then in some other newspapers: News of the Day, Petersburg Newspaper, Russian Invalid about Tsiolkovsky’s report. These articles paid tribute to the originality of the idea and design of the balloon, and also confirmed the correctness of the calculations made. Tsiolkovsky on own funds makes small models of balloon shells (30x50 cm) from corrugated metal and wire models of the frame (30x15 cm) to prove, including to himself, the possibility of using metal.

In 1891, Tsiolkovsky made one last attempt to protect his airship in the eyes of the scientific community. He wrote a large work, “Controllable Metal Balloon,” in which he took into account Zhukovsky’s comments and wishes, and on October 16 he sent it, this time to Moscow, to A. G. Stoletova. There was no result again.

Then Konstantin Eduardovich turned to his friends for help and, using the funds raised, ordered the publication of a book in the Moscow printing house of M. G. Volchaninov. One of the donors was Konstantin Eduardovich’s school friend, the famous archaeologist A. A. Spitsyn, who was visiting the Tsiolkovskys at that time and conducting research on ancient human sites in the area of ​​​​the St. Pafnutiev Borovsky Monastery and at the mouth of the Isterma River. The publication of the book was carried out by Tsiolkovsky’s friend, teacher of the Borovsky School S.E. Chertkov. The book was published after Tsiolkovsky's transfer to Kaluga in two editions: the first - in 1892; the second - in 1893.

Other works. The first science fiction work. First publications

In 1887, Tsiolkovsky wrote a short story “On the Moon” - his first science fiction work. The story in many ways continues the traditions of “Free Space”, but is presented in a more artistic form and has a complete, albeit very conventional, plot. Two nameless heroes - the author and his physicist friend - unexpectedly end up on the moon. The main and only task of the work is to describe the impressions of the observer located on its surface. Tsiolkovsky’s story is distinguished by its persuasiveness, the presence of numerous details, and rich literary language:

Gloomy picture! Even the mountains are naked, shamelessly stripped, since we do not see a light veil on them - a transparent bluish haze that the air casts over the earth’s mountains and distant objects... Strict, amazingly distinct landscapes! And the shadows! Oh, how dark! And what sharp transitions from darkness to light! There are no those soft shimmers to which we are so accustomed and which only the atmosphere can give. Even the Sahara would seem like paradise in comparison with what we saw here.

K. E. Tsiolkovsky. On the Moon. Chapter 1.

In addition to the lunar landscape, Tsiolkovsky describes the view of the sky and luminaries (including the Earth) observed from the surface of the Moon. He analyzed in detail the consequences of low gravity, the absence of an atmosphere, and other features of the Moon (rotation speed around the Earth and the Sun, constant orientation relative to the Earth).

“...we watched an eclipse...” Rice. A. Hoffman

Tsiolkovsky “observes” a solar eclipse (the disk of the Sun is completely hidden by the Earth):

On the Moon it is a frequent and grandiose phenomenon... The shadow covers either the entire Moon, or in most cases a significant part of its surface, so that complete darkness lasts for whole hours...

The sickle has become even narrower and, along with the Sun, is barely noticeable...

The sickle became completely invisible...

It was as if someone on one side of the star had flattened its luminous mass with an invisible giant finger.

Only half of the Sun is already visible.

Finally, the last particle of him disappeared, and everything was plunged into darkness. A huge shadow came running and covered us.

But blindness quickly disappears: we see the moon and many stars.

The moon has the shape of a dark circle, engulfed in a magnificent crimson glow, especially bright, although pale on the side where the remainder of the Sun has disappeared.

I see the colors of dawn that we once admired from Earth.

And the surroundings are filled with crimson, as if with blood.

K. E. Tsiolkovsky. On the Moon. Chapter 4.

The story also describes the expected behavior of gases and liquids, measuring instruments. The features of physical phenomena are described: heating and cooling of surfaces, evaporation and boiling of liquids, combustion and explosions. Tsiolkovsky makes a number of deliberate assumptions in order to demonstrate lunar realities. So, the heroes, finding themselves on the Moon, do without air; the absence of air does not affect them in any way. atmospheric pressure- they do not experience any particular inconvenience while on the surface of the Moon. The denouement is as conventional as the rest of the plot - the author wakes up on Earth and finds out that he was sick and in a lethargic sleep, which he informs his physicist friend about, surprising him with the details of his fantastic dream.

Over the last two years of living in Borovsk (1890-1891), Tsiolkovsky wrote several articles on various issues. Thus, during the period October 6, 1890 - May 18, 1891, based on experiments on air resistance, he wrote a large work “On the question of flying with wings.” The manuscript was handed over to A.G. Tsiolkovsky. Stoletov, he gave it to N. E. Zhukovsky for review, who wrote a restrained but quite favorable review:

Mr. Tsiolkovsky’s work makes a pleasant impression, since the author, using small means of analysis and cheap experiments, came to mostly correct results... Original method The author’s research, reasoning and witty experiments are not without interest and, in any case, characterize him as a talented researcher... The author’s reasoning in relation to the flight of birds and insects is correct and completely coincides with modern views on this subject.

Tsiolkovsky was asked to select a fragment from this manuscript and rework it for publication. This is how the article “The pressure of a liquid on a plane uniformly moving in it” appeared, in which Tsiolkovsky studied the movement of a round plate in an air flow, using his own theoretical model, an alternative to Newton’s, and also proposed the design of the simplest experimental installation - a “turntable”. In the second half of May, Tsiolkovsky wrote a short essay - “How to protect fragile and delicate things from shocks and blows.” These two works were sent to Stoletov and in the second half of 1891 they were published in the “Proceedings of the Department of Physical Sciences of the Society of Lovers of Natural History” (vol. IV), becoming the first publication of the works of K. E. Tsiolkovsky.

Family

House-Museum of K. E. Tsiolkovsky in Borovsk (former house of M.I. Pomukhina)

In Borovsk, the Tsiolkovskys had four children: the eldest daughter Lyubov (1881) and sons Ignatius (1883), Alexander (1885) and Ivan (1888). The Tsiolkovskys lived poorly, but, according to the scientist himself, “they didn’t wear patches and never went hungry.” Konstantin Eduardovich spent most of his salary on books, physical and chemical instruments, tools, and reagents.

Over the years of living in Borovsk, the family was forced to change their place of residence several times - in the fall of 1883, they moved to Kaluzhskaya Street to the house of the sheep farmer Baranov. Since the spring of 1885 they lived in Kovalev’s house (on the same Kaluzhskaya street).

On April 23, 1887, the day Tsiolkovsky returned from Moscow, where he gave a report on a metal airship of his own design, a fire broke out in his house, in which manuscripts, models, drawings, a library, as well as all the Tsiolkovskys’ property, with the exception of a sewing machine, were lost. which they managed to throw through the window into the yard. This was the hardest blow for Konstantin Eduardovich; he expressed his thoughts and feelings in the manuscript “Prayer” (May 15, 1887).

Another move to the house of M.I. Polukhina on Kruglaya Street. On April 1, 1889, the Protva flooded, and the Tsiolkovskys’ house was flooded. Records and books were again damaged.

Since the autumn of 1889, the Tsiolkovskys lived in the house of the Molchanov merchants at 4 Molchanovskaya Street.

Relations with Borovsk residents

Tsiolkovsky developed friendly and even friendly relations with some residents of the city. His first senior friend after arriving in Borovsk was the school caretaker, Alexander Stepanovich Tolmachev, who unfortunately died in January 1881, a little later than Konstantin Eduardovich’s father. Among others are history and geography teacher Evgeny Sergeevich Eremeev and his wife’s brother Ivan Sokolov. Tsiolkovsky also maintained friendly relations with the merchant N.P. Glukharev, investigator N.K. Fetter, in whose house there was a home library, in the organization of which Tsiolkovsky also took part. Together with I.V. Shokin, Konstantin Eduardovich was interested in photography, making and flying kites from a cliff above the Tekizhensky ravine.

However, for most of his colleagues and residents of the city, Tsiolkovsky was an eccentric. At school, he never took “tribute” from careless students, did not give paid additional lessons, had his own opinion on all issues, did not take part in feasts and parties and never celebrated anything himself, kept himself apart, was unsociable and unsociable. For all these “oddities,” his colleagues nicknamed him Zhelyabka and “suspected him of something that didn’t happen.” Tsiolkovsky interfered with them, irritated them. Colleagues, for the most part, dreamed of getting rid of him and twice reported Konstantin to the Director of public schools of the Kaluga province D. S. Unkovsky for his careless statements regarding religion. After the first denunciation, a request came about Tsiolkovsky’s trustworthiness, Evgraf Yegorovich (then Tsiolkovsky’s future father-in-law) and the school superintendent A.S. Tolmachev vouched for him. The second denunciation arrived after Tolmachev’s death, under his successor E.F. Filippov, a man unscrupulous in business and behavior, who had an extremely negative attitude towards Tsiolkovsky. The denunciation almost cost Tsiolkovsky his job; he had to go to Kaluga to give explanations, spending most of his monthly salary on the trip.

Residents of Borovsk also did not understand Tsiolkovsky and shunned him, laughed at him, some even feared him, calling him a “crazy inventor.” Tsiolkovsky’s eccentricities and his way of life, which was radically different from the way of life of the inhabitants of Borovsk, often caused bewilderment and irritation.

So, one day, with the help of a pantograph, Tsiolkovsky made a large paper hawk - a copy of a folding Japanese toy enlarged several times - painted it and launched it in the city, and residents mistook it for a real bird.

In winter, Tsiolkovsky loved to ski and skate. I came up with the idea of ​​driving on a frozen river with the help of a “sail” umbrella. Soon I made a sleigh with a sail using the same principle:

Peasants traveled along the river. The horses were frightened by the rushing sail, the passers-by swore in obscene voices. But due to my deafness, I didn’t realize this for a long time.

From the autobiography of K. E. Tsiolkovsky

Tsiolkovsky, being a nobleman, was a member of the Noble Assembly of Borovsk, gave private lessons to the children of the Leader of the local nobility, Actual State Councilor D. Ya. Kurnosov, which protected him from further attacks by the caretaker Filippov. Thanks to this acquaintance, as well as success in teaching, Tsiolkovsky received the rank of provincial secretary (August 31, 1884), then collegiate secretary (November 8, 1885), and titular councilor (December 23, 1886). On January 10, 1889, Tsiolkovsky received the rank of collegiate assessor.

Transfer to Kaluga

On January 27, 1892, the director of public schools D.S. Unkovsky turned to the trustee of the Moscow educational district with a request to transfer “one of the most capable and diligent teachers” to the district school of the city of Kaluga. At this time, Tsiolkovsky continued his work on aerodynamics and vortex theory in different environments, and also awaited the publication of the book “Controllable Metal Balloon” in the Moscow printing house. The decision to transfer was made on February 4. In addition to Tsiolkovsky, teachers moved from Borovsk to Kaluga: S. I. Chertkov, E. S. Eremeev, I. A. Kazansky, Doctor V. N. Ergolsky.

Kaluga (1892-1935)

It got dark when we entered Kaluga. After the deserted road, it was nice to look at the flashing lights and people. The city seemed huge to us... In Kaluga there were many cobbled streets, tall buildings and the ringing of many bells flowed. In Kaluga there were 40 churches with monasteries. There were 50 thousand inhabitants.

(From the memoirs of Lyubov Konstantinovna, the scientist’s daughter)

Tsiolkovsky lived in Kaluga for the rest of his life. Since 1892 he worked as a teacher of arithmetic and geometry at the Kaluga district school. Since 1899, he taught physics classes at the diocesan girls' school, which was disbanded after October Revolution. In Kaluga, Tsiolkovsky wrote his main works on cosmonautics, the theory of jet propulsion, space biology and medicine. He also continued work on the theory of a metal airship.

After completing teaching in 1921, Tsiolkovsky was assigned a personal lifetime pension. From that moment until his death, Tsiolkovsky was exclusively engaged in his research, dissemination of his ideas, and implementation of projects.

In Kaluga, the main philosophical works of K. E. Tsiolkovsky were written, the philosophy of monism was formulated, and articles were written about his vision of an ideal society of the future.

In Kaluga, the Tsiolkovskys had a son and two daughters. At the same time, it was here that the Tsiolkovskys had to endure the tragic death of many of their children: out of K. E. Tsiolkovsky’s seven children, five died during his lifetime.

In Kaluga, Tsiolkovsky met scientists A. L. Chizhevsky and Ya. I. Perelman, who became his friends and popularizers of his ideas, and later biographers.

The first years of life in Kaluga (1892-1902)

The Tsiolkovsky family arrived in Kaluga on February 4, settled in an apartment in the house of N.I. Timashova on Georgievskaya Street, rented in advance for them by E.S. Eremeev. Konstantin Eduardovich began teaching arithmetic and geometry at the Kaluga Diocesan School (in 1918-1921 - at the Kaluga Labor School).

Soon after his arrival, Tsiolkovsky met Vasily Assonov, a tax inspector, an educated, progressive, versatile man, fond of mathematics, mechanics and painting. Having read the first part of Tsiolkovsky’s book “Controllable Metal Balloon,” Assonov used his influence to organize a subscription to the second part of this work. This made it possible to collect the missing funds for its publication.

On August 8, 1892, the Tsiolkovskys had a son, Leonty, who died of whooping cough exactly a year later, on his first birthday. At this time there were holidays at the school and Tsiolkovsky spent the whole summer on the Sokolniki estate in Maloyaroslavets district with his old acquaintance D. Ya. Kurnosov (leader of the Borovsky nobility), where he gave lessons to his children. After the death of the child, Varvara Evgrafovna decided to change her apartment, and when Konstantin Eduardovich returned, the family moved to the Speransky house, located opposite, on the same street.

Assonov introduced Tsiolkovsky to the chairman of the Nizhny Novgorod circle of physics and astronomy lovers S.V. Shcherbakov. In the 6th issue of the circle’s collection, an article by Tsiolkovsky “Gravity as the main source of world energy” (1893) was published, developing ideas early work"Duration of the Sun's Radiation" (1883). The work of the circle was regularly published in the newly created journal “Science and Life”, and in the same year the text of this report was published in it, as well as a short article by Tsiolkovsky “Is a metal balloon possible”. On December 13, 1893, Konstantin Eduardovich was elected an honorary member of the circle.

Around the same time, Tsiolkovsky became friends with the Goncharov family. Kaluga Bank appraiser Alexander Nikolaevich Goncharov, nephew of the famous writer I. A. Goncharov, was a comprehensively educated person, knew several languages, corresponded with many prominent writers and public figures, and regularly published his works of art, devoted mainly to the theme of decline and degeneration Russian nobility. Goncharov decided to support the publication of Tsiolkovsky’s new book - a collection of essays “Dreams of Earth and Heaven” (1894), his second work of art, while Goncharov’s wife, Elizaveta Aleksandrovna, translated the article “An iron controlled balloon for 200 people, the length of a large sea steamer” into French and German languages and sent them to foreign magazines. However, when Konstantin Eduardovich wanted to thank Goncharov and, without his knowledge, placed on the cover of the book the inscription Publication by A. N. Goncharov, this led to a scandal and a break in relations between the Tsiolkovskys and the Goncharovs.

In Kaluga, Tsiolkovsky also did not forget about science, astronautics and aeronautics. He built a special installation that made it possible to measure some aerodynamic parameters of aircraft. Since the Physicochemical Society did not allocate a penny for his experiments, the scientist had to use family funds to conduct research. By the way, Tsiolkovsky built more than 100 experimental models at his own expense and tested them. After some time, society finally paid attention to the Kaluga genius and provided him with financial support - 470 rubles, with which Tsiolkovsky built a new, improved installation - a “blower”.

Study of aerodynamic properties of bodies various shapes and possible designs for aerial vehicles gradually led Tsiolkovsky to think about options for flight in airless space and the conquest of space. In 1895, his book “Dreams of Earth and Sky” was published, and a year later an article was published about other worlds, intelligent beings from other planets and about the communication of earthlings with them. In the same year, 1896, Tsiolkovsky began writing his main work, “The Study of World Spaces with Reactive Instruments,” published in 1903. This book touched on the problems of using rockets in space.

In 1896-1898, the scientist took part in the Kaluzhsky Vestnik newspaper, which published both materials from Tsiolkovsky himself and articles about him.

Early 20th century (1902-1918)

The first fifteen years of the 20th century were the most difficult in the life of a scientist. In 1902, his son Ignatius committed suicide. In 1908, during the Oka flood, his house was flooded, many cars and exhibits were disabled, and numerous unique calculations were lost. On June 5, 1919, the Council of the Russian Society of Lovers of World Studies accepted K. E. Tsiolkovsky as a member and he, as a member of the scientific society, was awarded a pension. This saved him from starvation during the years of devastation, since on June 30, 1919, the Socialist Academy did not elect him as a member and thereby left him without a livelihood. The Physicochemical Society also did not appreciate the significance and revolutionary nature of the models presented by Tsiolkovsky. In 1923, his second son, Alexander, also committed suicide.

Arrest and Lubyanka

On November 17, 1919, five people raided the Tsiolkovskys’ house. After searching the house, they took the head of the family and brought him to Moscow, where he was imprisoned in Lubyanka. There he was interrogated for several weeks. According to some reports, a certain high-ranking official interceded for Tsiolkovsky, as a result of which the scientist was released.

In 1918, Tsiolkovsky was elected one of the competing members of the Socialist Academy of Social Sciences (renamed the Communist Academy in 1924), and on November 9, 1921, the scientist was awarded a lifetime pension for services to domestic and world science. This pension was paid until September 19, 1935 - on that day Konstantin Eduardovich Tsiolkovsky died of stomach cancer in his hometown of Kaluga.

Six days before his death, September 13, 1935, K. E. Tsiolkovsky wrote in a letter to I. V. Stalin:

Before the revolution, my dream could not come true. Only October brought recognition to the works of a self-taught man: only the Soviet government and the Lenin-Stalin party provided me with effective help. I felt the love of the people, and this gave me the strength to continue my work, even while I was sick... I pass on all my works on aviation, rocket navigation and interplanetary communications to the Bolshevik Party and the Soviet government - the true leaders of progress human culture. I am confident that they will successfully complete my work.

The letter from the outstanding scientist soon received an answer: “To the famous scientist, Comrade K. E. Tsiolkovsky. Please accept my gratitude for a letter full of confidence in the Bolshevik Party and Soviet power. I wish you health and further fruitful work for the benefit of the working people. I shake your hand. I. Stalin."

The next day, a decree of the Soviet government was published on measures to perpetuate the memory of the great Russian scientist and on the transfer of his works to the Main Directorate of the Civil Air Fleet. Subsequently, by decision of the government, they were transferred to the USSR Academy of Sciences, where a special commission was created to develop the works of K. E. Tsiolkovsky. The commission distributed scientific works scientist by sections. The first volume contained all the works of K. E. Tsiolkovsky on aerodynamics; the second volume - works on jet aircraft; the third volume - works on all-metal airships, on increasing the energy of heat engines and various issues of applied mechanics, on the issues of watering deserts and cooling human habitations in them, the use of tides and waves and various inventions; the fourth volume included Tsiolkovsky’s works on astronomy, geophysics, biology, the structure of matter and other problems; finally, the fifth volume contains biographical materials and correspondence of the scientist.

In 1966, 31 years after the death of the scientist, the Orthodox priest Alexander Men performed the funeral ceremony over Tsiolkovsky’s grave.

Correspondence between Tsiolkovsky and Zabolotsky (since 1932)

In 1932, correspondence between Konstantin Eduardovich was established with one of the most talented “poets of Thought” of his time, seeking the harmony of the universe - Nikolai Alekseevich Zabolotsky. The latter, in particular, wrote to Tsiolkovsky: “...Your thoughts about the future of the Earth, humanity, animals and plants deeply concern me, and they are very close to me. In my unpublished poems and poems, I resolved them as best I could.” Zabolotsky told him about the hardships of his own searches aimed at the benefit of humanity: “It is one thing to know, and another to feel. The conservative feeling, brought up in us for centuries, clings to our consciousness and prevents it from moving forward.” Tsiolkovsky’s natural philosophical research left an extremely significant imprint on the work of this author.

Scientific achievements

K. E. Tsiolkovsky claimed that he developed the theory of rocket science only as an application to his philosophical research. He wrote more than 400 works, most of which are little known to the general reader.

Tsiolkovsky's first scientific research dates back to 1880-1881. Not knowing about the discoveries already made, he wrote the work “Theory of Gases,” in which he outlined the foundations of the kinetic theory of gases. His second work, “Mechanics of the Animal Organism,” received a favorable review from I.M. Sechenov, and Tsiolkovsky was accepted into the Russian Physical and Chemical Society. Tsiolkovsky's main works after 1884 were associated with four major problems: the scientific substantiation of an all-metal balloon (airship), a streamlined airplane, a hovercraft and a rocket for interplanetary travel.