Dmitrii Evgenievich Okhotsimsky
Encyclopedia
Dmitry Yevgenyevich Okhotsimsky was a Soviet Russian
space scientist who was the pioneer of space ballistics in the USSR. He wrote fundamental works in applied celestial mechanics
, spaceflight
dynamics
and robotics
.
. His father, Yevgeny Pavlovich Okhotsimsky, was an accountant/auditor, his mother a housewife. Okhotsimsky was very attached to his parents and always lived together with them. At the age of fifteen he suffered dyphteria in a hard form and was prohibited from any sports or physical activity. Nevertheless he showed his whole life remarkable energy and good health, and was actively working until his death at the age of 84.
He entered the Department of Mechanics
and Mathematics
of the University of Moscow in 1939. When World War II
broke, the department was temporarily closed. He participated in the building of defense installations around Moscow, worked at the munitions factory. In 1941 he was conscripted to the Red Army but was dismissed in 1942 for vision problems (severe nearsightedness) and returned to the University.
In 1946 he presented a paper about the optimization of the missile
flight, where he was able to find an analytical solution using an original technique of calculus of variations
, a precursor in some respects to what was later formulated in a more general form as the Pontryagin maximum principle (from Lev Pontryagin). In 1949 he joined the Mathematical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
, where was working in the department of Applied Mathematics led by Mstislav Keldysh
, the future President of the Russian Academy of Sciences
. Keldysh was an active member of the think tank behind the space program and his support was instrumental for active integration of Okhotsimsky and his group in space projects. Later the department of Keldysh became a separate institute currently known as the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics
and the group of Okhotsimsky became a department in this institute, which he was leading until his death.
, he worked with his colleagues to develop new generation of numerical methods and principles of programming. After the launch of the first satellite he published a few papers were the mathematical aspects of the launch and evolution of the orbit were analyzed.
Okhotsimsky’s leadership was instrumental in the development within his department of the remarkable group of young talents collectively nicknamed "Keldysh boys". Many of them became well-known, such as Ye. L. Akim, T. M. Yeneyev, A. K. Platonov, V. A. Yegorov, V. A. Sarychev, M. L. Lidov, V. V. Beletsky. Okhotsimsky contributed to the planning of multiple space missions including launches to Moon
, Mars
and Venus
. His analysis of the first failed docking attempts on Soyuz spacecraft
helped to quickly find a reason of mechanical instability and develop successful docking techniques. Together with Ye. F. Golubev and Yu. G. Sikharulidze he developed a concept of a dual-entry aerodynamically controlled landing algorithm
of a spacecraft
where the two-stage entry was used to reduce speed and achieve an accuracy of landing of a few km. He developed the methods on the passive stabilization of satellites using the gravity gradient and the non-sphericity of the tensor of inertia
.
missile and the exact proportions of its strap-on booster stages.
, especially in the modeling and control of insect
-like walking. A few successful models of 6-legged walking robots were created including systems with autonomous vision able to climb the stairs and handle complicated terrain. In the work of Okhotsimsky and his school realistic mechanical modeling of the motion was typically combined with sophisticated algorithm
s adapted to the context of a particular task. He usually advocated a "from the bottom up" approach aimed at first handling particular low-level problems and then moving to assembling a more general setup. He thought that this is the way the nature works in the making of live creatures.
and performed both functions until his last days. He was always striving to find practical forms of cooperation between the Academy of Science and the University. Until his last days he remained a staunch supporter of the leading role of the Academy of Science as a center of fundamental research in Russia. Okhotsimsky was one of the 5 initiators of the creation of the Department of Control and Applied Mathematics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic , commonly referred to as Soviet Russia, Bolshevik Russia, or simply Russia, was the largest, most populous and economically developed republic in the former Soviet Union....
space scientist who was the pioneer of space ballistics in the USSR. He wrote fundamental works in applied celestial mechanics
Celestial mechanics
Celestial mechanics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the motions of celestial objects. The field applies principles of physics, historically classical mechanics, to astronomical objects such as stars and planets to produce ephemeris data. Orbital mechanics is a subfield which focuses on...
, spaceflight
Spaceflight
Spaceflight is the act of travelling into or through outer space. Spaceflight can occur with spacecraft which may, or may not, have humans on board. Examples of human spaceflight include the Russian Soyuz program, the U.S. Space shuttle program, as well as the ongoing International Space Station...
dynamics
Dynamics (mechanics)
In the field of physics, the study of the causes of motion and changes in motion is dynamics. In other words the study of forces and why objects are in motion. Dynamics includes the study of the effect of torques on motion...
and robotics
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
.
Biography
Okhotsimsky was born and lived his whole life in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. His father, Yevgeny Pavlovich Okhotsimsky, was an accountant/auditor, his mother a housewife. Okhotsimsky was very attached to his parents and always lived together with them. At the age of fifteen he suffered dyphteria in a hard form and was prohibited from any sports or physical activity. Nevertheless he showed his whole life remarkable energy and good health, and was actively working until his death at the age of 84.
He entered the Department of Mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
and Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
of the University of Moscow in 1939. When World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke, the department was temporarily closed. He participated in the building of defense installations around Moscow, worked at the munitions factory. In 1941 he was conscripted to the Red Army but was dismissed in 1942 for vision problems (severe nearsightedness) and returned to the University.
In 1946 he presented a paper about the optimization of the missile
Missile
Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
flight, where he was able to find an analytical solution using an original technique of calculus of variations
Calculus of variations
Calculus of variations is a field of mathematics that deals with extremizing functionals, as opposed to ordinary calculus which deals with functions. A functional is usually a mapping from a set of functions to the real numbers. Functionals are often formed as definite integrals involving unknown...
, a precursor in some respects to what was later formulated in a more general form as the Pontryagin maximum principle (from Lev Pontryagin). In 1949 he joined the Mathematical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
, where was working in the department of Applied Mathematics led by Mstislav Keldysh
Mstislav Keldysh
Mstislav Vsevolodovich Keldysh was a Soviet scientist in the field of mathematics and mechanics, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences , President of the USSR Academy of Sciences , three times Hero of Socialist Labor , fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh . He was one of the key figures...
, the future President of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
. Keldysh was an active member of the think tank behind the space program and his support was instrumental for active integration of Okhotsimsky and his group in space projects. Later the department of Keldysh became a separate institute currently known as the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics
Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics
The Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a research institute specializing in computational mathematics....
and the group of Okhotsimsky became a department in this institute, which he was leading until his death.
Space ballistics
Since his first student work, Okhotsimsky was interested in analytical and numerical solution of variational problems to which the optimization of space mission can be reduced: how the mission can achieve its target with the minimal total fuel consumption (possibly combined with other criteria and restrictions). Using first Soviet computers (such as Strela computerStrela computer
Strela computer was the first mainframe computer manufactured serially in the Soviet Union, beginning in 1953.This first-generation computer had 6200 vacuum tubes and 60,000 semiconductor diodes....
, he worked with his colleagues to develop new generation of numerical methods and principles of programming. After the launch of the first satellite he published a few papers were the mathematical aspects of the launch and evolution of the orbit were analyzed.
Okhotsimsky’s leadership was instrumental in the development within his department of the remarkable group of young talents collectively nicknamed "Keldysh boys". Many of them became well-known, such as Ye. L. Akim, T. M. Yeneyev, A. K. Platonov, V. A. Yegorov, V. A. Sarychev, M. L. Lidov, V. V. Beletsky. Okhotsimsky contributed to the planning of multiple space missions including launches to Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
and Venus
Venus
Venus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
. His analysis of the first failed docking attempts on Soyuz spacecraft
Soyuz spacecraft
Soyuz , Union) is a series of spacecraft initially designed for the Soviet space programme by the Korolyov Design Bureau in the 1960s, and still in service today...
helped to quickly find a reason of mechanical instability and develop successful docking techniques. Together with Ye. F. Golubev and Yu. G. Sikharulidze he developed a concept of a dual-entry aerodynamically controlled landing algorithm
Algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...
of a spacecraft
Spacecraft
A spacecraft or spaceship is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, earth observation, meteorology, navigation, planetary exploration and transportation of humans and cargo....
where the two-stage entry was used to reduce speed and achieve an accuracy of landing of a few km. He developed the methods on the passive stabilization of satellites using the gravity gradient and the non-sphericity of the tensor of inertia
Moment of inertia
In classical mechanics, moment of inertia, also called mass moment of inertia, rotational inertia, polar moment of inertia of mass, or the angular mass, is a measure of an object's resistance to changes to its rotation. It is the inertia of a rotating body with respect to its rotation...
.
Rocket design
Okhotsimsky's team, along with a group managed by Mikhail Tikhonravov at NII-4, did analysis and optimization of multi-stage rocket designs. Okhotsimsky studied the general problem of how rockets could increase their range by dropping parts of their construction during flight. This included sequential stages and parallel "packet" rockets and schemes invovling the pumping of fuel between stages during flight. This led directly to the design of the R-7R-7 Semyorka
The R-7 was a Soviet missile developed during the Cold War, and the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile. The R-7 made 28 launches between 1957 and 1961, but was never deployed operationally. A derivative, the R-7A, was deployed from 1960 to 1968...
missile and the exact proportions of its strap-on booster stages.
Robotics
In the middle of the 1970s Okhotsimsky became interested in roboticsRobotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
, especially in the modeling and control of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
-like walking. A few successful models of 6-legged walking robots were created including systems with autonomous vision able to climb the stairs and handle complicated terrain. In the work of Okhotsimsky and his school realistic mechanical modeling of the motion was typically combined with sophisticated algorithm
Algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm is an effective method expressed as a finite list of well-defined instructions for calculating a function. Algorithms are used for calculation, data processing, and automated reasoning...
s adapted to the context of a particular task. He usually advocated a "from the bottom up" approach aimed at first handling particular low-level problems and then moving to assembling a more general setup. He thought that this is the way the nature works in the making of live creatures.
Positions and social activity
Okhotsimsky combined the talents of a scientist and an administrator. His career was closely linked to the section of Mechanics and Control of the Soviet/Russian Academy of Science, of which he was a deputy-secretary. Parallel to his main work in the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, he was appointed in 1962 a chair of Theoretical Mechanics at the Department of Mathematics and Mechanics at the Moscow State UniversityMoscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
and performed both functions until his last days. He was always striving to find practical forms of cooperation between the Academy of Science and the University. Until his last days he remained a staunch supporter of the leading role of the Academy of Science as a center of fundamental research in Russia. Okhotsimsky was one of the 5 initiators of the creation of the Department of Control and Applied Mathematics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
Awards and honors
- Member of the Russian Academy of SciencesRussian Academy of SciencesThe Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
, Corresponding Member since 1960, AcademicianAcademicianThe title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
since 1991 - Foreign Member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsSerbian Academy of Sciences and ArtsThe Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts is the most prominent academic institution in Serbia today...
since 2000 - Chaplygin Prize (reward in mechanics), 1951
- Lenin PrizeLenin PrizeThe Lenin Prize was one of the most prestigious awards of the USSR, presented to individuals for accomplishments relating to science, literature, arts, architecture, and technology. It was created on June 23, 1925 and was awarded until 1934. During the period from 1935 to 1956, the Lenin Prize was...
of 1957 - Hero of Socialist Labour, 1961, Two orders of Lenin (1956, 1961), Two orders of the Red Banner of Labour (1970, 1981)
- USSR State PrizeUSSR State PrizeThe USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
, 1970 (for his contribution to the lunar mission "Luna-16") - Gold Keldysh medal, 2001 (awarded by the Russian Academy of SciencesRussian Academy of SciencesThe Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
for works in mechanics) - Minor planet 80628062 Okhotsymskij8062 Okhotsymskij is a main-belt asteroid discovered on March 13, 1977 by N. S. Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory.It was named after the Russian space scientist Dmitry Okhotsimsky.- External links :*...
discovered by astronomer Nikolai Stepanovich ChernykhNikolai Stepanovich ChernykhNikolay Stepanovich Chernykh was a Soviet and Russian astronomer.Chernykh was born in the city of Usman' in Voronezh Oblast...
on March 13, 1997 was called Okhotsymskij in his honor.
Published works
- Охоцимский Д. Е., Голубев Е. Ф., Сихарулидзе Ю. Г., Алгоритм управления космическим аппаратом при входе в атмосферу - М, Наука, 1975.
- Охоцимский Д.Е., Голубев Ю.Ф.Механика и управление движением автоматического шагающего аппарата - М., Наука, 1984.
- Охоцимский Д.Е.,Сихарулидзе Ю.Г. Основы механики космического полета. - М., Наука, 1990
External links
- Obituary article
- Okhotsimsky as chair of the Theoretical Mechanics and Mechatronics at the Moscow State UniversityMoscow State UniversityLomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
(in Russian) - Historical account of how the orbit of the first satellite was measured and computed (In Russian)
- Online version of the memoirs of Nikita MoiseyevNikita MoiseyevNikita Nikolayevich Moiseyev was a prominent Russian mathematician, full member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR ....
- B.E. Chertok "Rockets and people" online, in Russian
- memoirs of R.F. Appazov "Traces in heart and memory", in Russian (creation of the first satellite, etc.)
- Okhothimsky's page on the site of the Russian Academy of SciencesRussian Academy of SciencesThe Russian Academy of Sciences consists of the national academy of Russia and a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation as well as auxiliary scientific and social units like libraries, publishers and hospitals....
- Okhotsimsky's biography information on the site of the Moscow State UniversityMoscow State UniversityLomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
- Department of Control and Applied Mathematics at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, history notes