Nikolai Kibalchich

Nikolai Ivanovich Kibalchich (Template:Langx; Template:Langx; 19 October 1853<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> – April 3, 1881<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="codeath">Template:Cite book</ref>) was a Russian revolutionary and rocket pioneer who took part in the assassination of Tsar Alexander II as the main explosive expert for Narodnaya Volya. He was a distant cousin of revolutionary Victor Serge.Template:Sfn

Early life and education

Kibalchich was born in the town of Korop, Krolevetsky Uyezd, Chernigov Governorate (now Ukraine) in 1853 into a clerical familyTemplate:Sfn as the son of an Orthodox parish priest.Template:Sfn He entered a gymnasium in 1864 but was later admitted to a seminary. He returned to secondary school and finished with a silver medal several years later.Template:Sfn

In 1871, he entered St Petersburg Institute of Railway Engineers, and in 1873, he entered Saint Petersburg Emperor Military Medical Academy to study medicine,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn additionally working on experiments into pulsed rocket propulsion.Template:Sfn

In October 1875, Kibalchich was arrested for lending a prohibited book to a peasant named Prytulya.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He spent 3 years in prisonTemplate:Sfn before being sentenced to 2 months imprisonment.

He went on to join Narodnaya Volya in 1878, becoming their main explosives expert.Template:Sfn

Assassination of Alexander II

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} From February 28 to March 1, 1881 [O.S], Kibalchich and his assistants, Fleet Lieutenant Sukhanov and Mikhail Grachevsky, prepared four explosive projectiles that were used in the assassination of Alexander II. Kibalchich was arrested on March 17, 1881.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In his statement to the Special Committee of the Senate, V.N. Gerard noted that when his men came to see Kibalchich as his appointed counsel for the defense, they were surprised to find his mind occupied with things that had no bearing on the trial. He seemed to be immersed in research on some aeronautic missile and he greatly desired the opportunity to write down the calculations involved in the discovery.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In a note written in his prison cell, Kibalchich proposed a manned jet air-navigating apparatus.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> He examined the design of a gunpowder-powered rocket engine, controlling the flight by changing the engine's angle, and his design is dated March 23.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On March 26, General Komarov, Chief of the Gendarmery Department, informed the Police Department of Kibalchich's design.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The brief written in the report said: "To be filed with the March 1 dossier and to give this to scientists for consideration now would hardly be expedient since this can only give rise to a lot of wanton talk. Kibalchich's design was put in an envelope, sealed and filed. The inventor was told that his design would be handed over to scientists for examination."

On March 31, Kibalchich wrote this solicitation address to the Minister of Interior: "By instruction of your Excellency my design of an aeronautic apparatus has been submitted for the consideration of technical committee; could your Excellency direct that I be allowed to meet with any of the committee members on the matter of this design not later than tomorrow morning or at least to receive a written answer from the experts who have examined my design, also no longer than tomorrow. I also ask your Excellency for permission for me, before I die, to meet with all my comrades in the trial or at least with Zhelyabov and Perovskaya." All of his requests were ignored.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Execution

Nikolai Kibalchich being executed with other revolutionaries

On April 3 at 7:50 AM, two "chariots of shame" with the condemned prisoners rode out of the house of the detention to Shpalernaya Street. Zhelyabov was in the first, and by his side was Rysakov, who had tossed the first bomb at the coach of Alexander II and then betrayed his comrades during the interrogation. Kibalchich, Perovskaya and Mikhailov were in the second.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The hands and feet of the condemned were tied to the seats. Each had on his chest a black plaque with a white colored inscription: "A regicide". At 9:21 AM, Kibalchich was executed by hanging, shortly followed by other Narodnaya Volya plotters including Sophia Perovskaya, Andrei Zhelyabov, Nikolai Rysakov and Timofei Mikhailov.<ref name="codeath" />

Final letter

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Legacy

Kibalchich's drawing of his proposed rocket

Kibalchich's design was buried in the archives of Police Department. Much was said and written about Kibalchich's design abroad, and many conjectures were made about the essence of the invention and its subsequent fate. In 1917, Nikolai Rynin, after hearing rumors of the design, rediscovered the manuscript in the archives and published an account of it 1918 in the historic magazine Byloye (Былое, The Past), including Kibalchich's description of a manned, rocket-propelled ship from his final letter.

In 1891, similar ideas were developed independently by the German engineer Hermann Ganswindt. After WWII, Stanislaw Ulam proposed a nuclear pulse propulsion scheme which was studied in Project ORION.<ref>Template:Cite tech report</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The International Astronomical Union honoured Kibalchich by naming a crater on the moon after him, which is centered at 2.72° N 147.18° W on the Moon's far side.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mount Kibal'chich, which is the highest peak of the Kvaevenutane Peaks in Antarctica, is also named after him.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Korop organized a house-museum and erected a monument in honor of Kibalchich.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

References

Bibliography

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External links

• Encyclopedia of Astrobiology, Astronomy and Spaceflight
• [1]
• Суд над цареубийцами. Дело 1-го марта 1881 года. Под редакцией В.В.Разбегаева. Изд. им. Н.И.Новикова. С-Пб том 1 и 2. 2014.Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN