Located in
the eastern part of the Zayatchy (Hare) Island is an auxiliary
fortification structure built in the first half of the 18th century –
the so-called Ioannovsky (St.John) Ravelin. In 1932 - 1933 it used to
house the mechanic workshops, experimental fire stands, designer offices
of the world’s first state organization engaged in the development of
rocket engines and rockets – the Gas-Dynamic Laboratory. In 1969 a
bronze memorial plaque was installed on the wall of the St.John Ravelin
and in 1973 the Museum of Space Exploration and Rocket Technology was
opened there.
The
exhibition of the Museum traces the role of the Gas-Dynamic Laboratory in
the history of the development of national rocket technology and space
research.
In
1928-1933 the designers from the Gas-Dynamic Laboratory developed the
first smokeless powder rockets which were used in the mortar installation
BM-13 tagged “Katusha”; developed and tested here were also electric
and liquid-propellant rocket engines – the prototype of mid-flight
engines of the modern rockets.
Revealing
the memorial character of the Museum are the recreated interiors of the
designer offices and the laboratory workshops as well as the high-voltage
testing installation for the world’s first thermal arc engine. Among the
exhibits telling about the development of the modern rocket technology and
space research are the engines of the rocket launchers “Vostok” and
“Soyuz”, space costumes of the cosmonauts N.Rukavishnikov, V.Solovyev
and other space relics.
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