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The origins of GDL and GIRD.

The History of Soviet Rocket Development 

History of GDL (Gas Dynamics Laboratory) Leningrad

History of GIRD (Gruppa Izucheniya Reaktivhogo Dvizheniya)

Moscow rocket propulsion group

When another colleague at TsAGI, Yuriy Pobedonstsev joined Tsander and Korolev in 1931.The ball was rolling…

Financed by a collection made by his TsAGI workmates ,equivalent to two months salary, Tsander started out on his conquest of space.

GIRD officially started in the Autumn of 1931.

‘Onwards to Mars’ was his inspired phrase at the start of each new working day at the GIRD.

In 1924 he wrote ‘Flights to other planets’.

Responsibilities at the GIRD covered a wide range of rocket development projects. :

S. P. Korolev Was responsible for stratopheric aircraft with liquid propellant generated rocket propulsion.

Yuriy Pobedonstsev had responsibility for the design and development of RAM jets.

Mikhail Tikonravov First hybrid propellant, oxygen-alcohol and oxygen-kerosene rocket engines.

Vladimir Vetchinkin

In 1932 Andrey Kostikov joined the GIRD working in the Tikonravov and Pobedonstsev project groups.

In 1932 GIRD had 60 staff funded jointly by the Osoaviakhim organisation and RKKA Directorate of Miltary Inventions.

During 1932 Tsander was suffering from overwork and failing health. Korolev managed to organise a pass for Tsander to take a break to recover at a special clinic at Kislovodsk in the Crimea. Whilst staying in Kislovodsk Tsander contracted a secondary illness from which he never recovered. His sudden loss in March 1933 ment that

Korolev had now to assume the role of inspirational leader.

As a mark of respect in 1957 Korolev returned to Kislovodsk to identify the unmarked grave of Tsander. On what would have been Tsanders seventieth birthday.

The Creation of RNII 21st  September 1933 

RNII was created by merging GDL and GIRD into a single research and design unit based in Moscow.

.

Kleymenov was made head of RNII and Korolev was apponited as his assistant.

Kleymenov, Artemyev and Langemak were all heavily biased to developing solid propergol rockets and came from a ballistic Red Army background that contrasted with that of the GIRD members

When it was clear that the priorities of Kleymenov, Artemyev and Langemak were to continue as at GDL with priority given to solid propergol rocket projects. It was inevitable that there would be a conflict along the lines of the former GDL and GIRD groups.

Tikonravov was responsible for the development of liquid oxygen and alcohol liquid propergol rocket engines and structures.

Pobedonstsev initial responsibilty was the design and development of RAM jets and then solid propellant rockets. RNII designed and developed the famous ‘Katyushas’ artillary rockets.

Korolev’s primary responsibility was the design and construction of a rocket powered glider and winged missiles.

Within a few months of the creation of RNII by January 1934 Korolev had been demoted and replaced by Langemak. This also coincided with the arrival of GDL staff from Leningrad.

The earlier GDL trio of Kleymenov, Artemyev and Langemak had gained a strategic victory.

The steering science and technical committe that controlled RNII was as follows :

Director : Kleymenov

Chairman :Georgy Langemak

Technical committe members : Glushko, Korolev, Pobedonstsev, Tikonravov and Dudakov

Konstantine Tsiolkovski was made an Honorary member of RNII on 23rd June 1935 several months before he died.aged 78.

Starting from January 1934 all GDL personnel transfered to Moscow.

V.Glushko was joined by D. Shitov, V. Galkovskiy and S. Rovinsky. The team worked on single and double chamber rocket engines using the liquid propergols nitric acid with tertanitromethane and nitric acid/kerosene. Producing 600N thrust.

V. Glushko developed the ORM nitric acid rocket engines between 1934 –1937. Producing the ORM-65 nitricacid/kerosene engine for Korolev’s 212 cruise missile and RP318 rocket powered glider.

Directors of RNII > NII-3 :

Ivan Kleymenov (1932-January 1937)

Boris Slonmer (January 1937-Late 1939)

Andrey Kostikov (Late1939-

After 1937 RNII became NII-3

‘Katyushas’ artillery rockets.

World War 2  Soviet 'Katyushas '

The development of the 'Katyushas' rocket was undertaken at  NII-3  by Georgy Erkhovich Langemak who lead a team of three principle engineers

Vladimir Artemiev, Boris Petropavlovskiy and Yuri Pobedonostsev

Without the determination of Colonel Aborenkov. Solid propellant rockets would not have been introduced as a strategic form of rocket artillary. Because of the conservative opinion of Marshall Kulik.

Following Aborenkov insistance NII-3 was given some additional help in developing self propelled multiple launchers for the Katyushas.

In 1939 Gvay, Pavelenko, Galkovskiy and Popov produced a self propelled launcher based on the ZIS-6.

Because of his experience with solid propelled rockets launched from aircraft Aborenkov was absolutely convinced of the importance of developing self- propelled multiple rocket launching platforms for land artillary

In March 1941 NII-3 with the assistance of GAU’s Colonel Aborenkov, carried out several successful range firings.

However Marshall Kulik still wasn’t convinced. With the result that planned demonstrations were continually postponed or delayed.

Finally on the 15^th June 1941 a demonstration was made with two BM-13 launchers with twenty four Katyushas each. The sight and sound created by a volley of 48 Katyushas rockets pounding into the target area left everybody in the distiguished company stunned.

Minister of Defence Timishenko bluntly addressed Marshall Kulik for his lack of foresight in developing this project for active service. With Stalin himself signing for the approval of Katyushas rocket and self propelled launcher production just 24 hrs before the declaration of war with Germany.

The Stalin Purges of 1937-1938 left NII-3 leaderless.

First in January 1937 Ivan Kleymenov and  Georgy Langemak where arrested by th NVKD and executed in January 1938.

Then in 1938 first Glushko then Korolev where arrested and sent to NVKD work camps or Gulags.

With the heart of the Soviet rocket team ripped out. The German rocket development programme at Peenemunde now had no competition. Until near the end of World War 2 in 1944 when Churchill informed Stalin of the secret German rocket facility at Peenemunde.

Stalin repatriated his imprisoned rocket experts so that they could travel to Germany and discover what the Germanies rocket engineers had been working on since1935.