October 25th is the 100th anniversary of birthday of Viktor Makeyev, a celebrated Soviet and Russian engineer, whose life and achievements are etched in the history of rocket building and defence industry. This event can serve as a wonderful occasion to reminisce on his contribution to the development of our country.
From a young age, Viktor Makeyev showed interest in engineering and science, what later defined his path in life. He studied at Kazan National Research Technical University named after A.N. Tupolev, and then at Moscow Aviation Institute, where he obtained fundamental knowledge in aerodynamics and engineering.
In 1952, Viktor Makeyev was appointed the leading design engineer at one of the new complexes being developed at experimental design bureau OKB-1, and in 1955 he became the chief designer at the newly created special-purpose design bureau SKB-385 in the Ural region, which soon was entrusted to elaborate the important independent field of missiles engineering – engineering of submarine-launched ballistic missiles. It was here that Viktor Makeyev made his most significant discoveries and developments.
Under the guidance of Viktor Makeyev the now-well-known rocket complexes were created, on which the naval forces of the Soviet Union were based. Those systems considerably strengthened the defence capability of our country and ensured the strategic parity in the context of the cold war. Viktor Makeyev paid special attention to the reliability and safety of his developments, what allowed to minimize the risks and accidents and improve the effectiveness of missiles operation.
The work of this engineer included not only technical aspects. Viktor Makeyev was known as a mentor and teacher of young specialists. In 1960, while working as a principal designer of strategic missiles for nuclear-power submarines of the naval forces, he also acted as the Head of the Department No.2 of the Faculty of Engines, Devices and Automata at Chelyabinsk Polytechnic Institute (now the Aerospace Engineering subdivision of South Ural State University). He actively shared his knowledge and experience and fostered a new generation of engineers and designers. Many of his students later became leading specialists in rocket building.
For his merits, Viktor Makeyev was awarded many titles and prizes. He became laureate of the Lenin Prize and triple laureate of the USSR State Prize, was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Order of the October Revolution, as well as the Medal “For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945”. His contribution to science and engineering was highly praised both in our country and abroad.
On day of the 100th anniversary of birthday of Viktor Makeyev we should remember not only his professional achievements, but his personal qualities as well. He was a very open-hearted person, welcoming new ideas and always ready to help his colleagues. His life is an example of serving the science and the people of our country.
Today, the State Rocket Centre in Miass is named after Academician V.P. Makeyev. They continue to develop his ideas and principles. The legacy of this scholar lives in each new project and successful launch, inspiring the new generations of engineers for great endeavours. In Chelyabinsk there is a street named after Academician Makeyev, and in the main building of South Ural State University his portrait sculpture was installed in 2021. Also, in 2024 it has become known that a monument to this Soviet designer is planned to be installed in our city. Supposedly, it will be placed in the student mini-park at SUSU.
The memory of Viktor Makeyev is a reminder for us of how many things can just one person do for his country and for the whole world if he devotes his life to something he truly believes in.