Home – Home – Jornals – Thermophysics and Aeromechanics 2007 number 3

The paper described the creative path of K.E. Tsiolkovsky, the founder of theoretical cosmonautics, who devoted his life to solving various problems in the field of aerodynamics and rocket engineering, creating dirigibles with a metallic shell, jet planes, and air-cushioned trains, and studying the origin of planets, the Sun, and the Universe. The main engineering proposals of a scientist of great originality, which found applications in modern rocket and space engineering, are briefly analysed. The versatility of his interests is demonstrated; his research is shown to deal with many fields of science and technology, including the kinetic theory of gases, geology, cosmology, biology, philosophy, sociology, theology, and language science.