Georgy Prokofiev
Encyclopedia
Georgy Alekseyevich Prokofiev (born August 17, 1902 in Teleshovo, Vyazma District
- died April 23, 1939 in Moscow
) was a Soviet Air Forces balloonist
who coordinated military stratospheric
balloon program in 1931–1939. September 30, 1933, USSR-1
under Prokofiev's command set an unofficial world altitude
record of 19,000 meters (60,698 feet).
, Yegor Prokofiev received basic education during World War I
and worked in Vyazma
railroad yards since the age of fifteen. He joined the Bolshevik
party in 1920 and in the same year was mobilized into the Red Army
for the Polish–Soviet War. After 1921 he held unimportant bureaucratic jobs in Komsomol
offices in Smolensk
and Moscow
until joining the Red Army again, as the political commissar
of a balloon unit based in Kuntsevo
, then a suburb of Moscow. Prokofiev became an avid balloonist himself, soon assuming the command of the First Airship Division, and turned out to be an effective project manager
for the early efforts of the Soviet stratospheric program.
's altitude record. The military supported the project, named USSR-1
, and Prokofiev assumed the role of its leader, coordinating efforts by military and civilian designers and technologists. Consolidation of practically all available expertise and rigorous safety enforcement resulted in a sound and safe design (unlike the ill-fated contemporary Osoaviakhim-1
).
The widely publicized maiden flight
, scheduled on September 24, 1933, ended in a humiliating failure. First, when the envelope was already inflated, it was found that the bottom of the envelope dangerously mingled with the ropes. A volunteer, someone named Fyodor Tereschenko, climbed the ropes and untied the knots. USSR-1 was then cleared to fly, but failed to lift off due to moisture buildup in foggy weather.
The next attempt to launch USSR-1 was scheduled on September 30, 1933. Prokofiev, Konstantin Godunov and co-pilot Ernst Birnbaum lifted off at 8:40 Moscow Time
and established radio contact with ground five minutes later. According to Prokofiev's flight log, at 9:17 USSR-1 passed 16,800 meter mark, beating Piccard's record; between 9:19 and 9:26 the aircraft, fully expanded, levelled in a static equilibrium
at 17,500 meters. Prokofiev released 80 kilograms of ballast to proceed further; after additional ballast drops at 9:47, 10:30, 11:40 and 12:00 the aircraft resumed slow ascent and at 12:55 reached 19,200–19,300 meters. Later, Prokofiev's numbers were adjusted for instrument errors to 19,000 meters max altitude at 12:45. Descent to 10,500 meters took around two hours; at this altitude the crew discharged all electrical batteries as a precaution against a short circuit
during landing. At 16:36 (8,000 meters) Prokofiev stopped recording flight data and concentrated on airspeed control; around 17:00 the aircraft softly landed on a field near the town of Kolomna
, around 110 kilometers (68 mi) from the launch site.
The USSR-1 altitude record, although not recognized by FAI
, was publicized worldwide, as well as scientific data released shortly after the flight. The crewmembers, three designers and plant manager responsible for building USSR-1 were awarded the Order of Lenin
, then the highest award for military or civil achievement.
crash of 1934.
In May 1934 Prokofiev received a go-ahead to proceed with a new gigantic (300,000 cubic meters) balloon, the USSR-2 designed by Chizhevsky and Godunov to reach 30 kilometers altitude. If flown successfully, it could have become the first operational aircraft designed for pilots wearing pressure suit
s. Prokofiev and Godunov themselves planned to fly the new balloon that, unlike earlier and later Soviet designs, seated only two. The gondola of USSR-2 had an airlock
attachment to allow exit into the stratosphere without explosive decompression. Instead of cotton
fabric, its gas bag was made of parachute-grade silk
, a choice that killed the project. On the night of September 4–5, 1934, as the ground crews pumped hydrogen into the silk bag, an unexpected static spark
caused by friction of unfolding silk ignited the balloon. There were no fatalities on the ground but the project was shelved indefinitely.
-filled USSR-3 would have been the second largest Soviet balloon after the failed USSR-2. Launching a balloon of this size from Russian plains turned out to be a futile race against weather, as even a slight wind prevented safe deployment of the gigantic gas bag. American balloonists solved the wind challenge by launching from deep canyon
s (Stratobowl
) or mining pits (Crosby, Minnesota
) while Soviet Air Forces relied on the single airfield in Moscow
suburbs. To alleviate the problem, Prokofiev designed the double launch sequence. Prior to launch, the balloon was pulled down to the gondola with temporary ropes wound around permanent suspension cables, halving the balloon's height. These ropes were designed to untangle and release the full length of suspension cables shortly after launch. The first test of Prokofiev's invention on a small 900 cubic meters balloon ended in the death of test pilot. Prokofiev prepared a second attempt (on a larger aircraft) and safely tested it himself. Later experience demonstrated that the system remained unsafe.
September 18, 1937, redesigned USSR-3 with Prokofiev, Krikun and Semyonov on board attempted liftoff from Kuntsevo field employing double launch procedure. At about 700–800 meters the temporary ropes failed to untangle correctly and accidentally damaged the gas release valve. The aircraft dived and the crew who had no time to bail out on personal parachute
s suffered internal injuries on ground impact.
The last attempt to launch USSR-3 on March 16, 1939, ended in a similar debacle. Prior to launch, ground team failed to release the balloon from a safety net holding it to the ground; two balloonists on small single-seat hopper balloon
s were sent to untangle the net. At about 1,200 meters altitude double launch sequence ripped open the valve, again, and the balloon crashed in the woods halfway between Kuntsevo and downtown Moscow; crew (Prokofiev, Semyonov, Prilutsky) survived with serious injuries. According to Semyonov, Prokofiev, who stood in the open top hatch of the gondola, could bail out easily but preferred to stay on board to the end.
At first it appeared that Prokofiev escaped practically uninjured, but hospital examination revealed two shattered vertebrae, feet and intestinal
injuries. Journalist Lazar Brontman who spoke to Prokofiev in the hospital on April 4, 1939, recalled that Prokofiev was planning a sequence of new record flights on or after May 10, 1939, depending on weather conditions. However, on April 23 Prokofiev fatally shot himself. He was buried with military honors at Novodevichy Cemetery
.
Vyazma
Vyazma is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk and Mozhaysk. Throughout its turbulent history, the city defended western approaches to the city of Moscow...
- died April 23, 1939 in Moscow
Moscow
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...
) was a Soviet Air Forces balloonist
Balloon (aircraft)
A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner....
who coordinated military stratospheric
Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere. It is stratified in temperature, with warmer layers higher up and cooler layers farther down. This is in contrast to the troposphere near the Earth's surface, which is cooler...
balloon program in 1931–1939. September 30, 1933, USSR-1
USSR-1
USSR-1 was a record-setting, hydrogen-filled Soviet Air Forces high-altitude balloon designed to seat a crew of three and perform scientific studies of the Earth's stratosphere...
under Prokofiev's command set an unofficial world altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
record of 19,000 meters (60,698 feet).
Background
Born in a peasant family in the former Smolensk GovernorateSmolensk Governorate
Smolensk Governorate , or Government of Smolensk, was an administrative division of the Russian Empire, which existed, with interruptions, between 1708 and 1929....
, Yegor Prokofiev received basic education during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and worked in Vyazma
Vyazma
Vyazma is a town and the administrative center of Vyazemsky District of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk and Mozhaysk. Throughout its turbulent history, the city defended western approaches to the city of Moscow...
railroad yards since the age of fifteen. He joined the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
party in 1920 and in the same year was mobilized into the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
for the Polish–Soviet War. After 1921 he held unimportant bureaucratic jobs in Komsomol
Komsomol
The Communist Union of Youth , usually known as Komsomol , was the youth division of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The Komsomol in its earliest form was established in urban centers in 1918. During the early years, it was a Russian organization, known as the Russian Communist Union of...
offices in Smolensk
Smolensk
Smolensk is a city and the administrative center of Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Dnieper River. Situated west-southwest of Moscow, this walled city was destroyed several times throughout its long history since it was on the invasion routes of both Napoleon and Hitler. Today, Smolensk...
and Moscow
Moscow
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...
until joining the Red Army again, as the political commissar
Political commissar
The political commissar is the supervisory political officer responsible for the political education and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military...
of a balloon unit based in Kuntsevo
Kuntsevo District
Kuntsevo is a district of Western Administrative Okrug of Moscow, Russia. Population: -History:In the 18th century, a palace and a park were built; they were often visited by the Empress Catherine II. Kuntsevo is the site of the Church of Theotokos Orans. In the 19th century, Kuntsevo became a...
, then a suburb of Moscow. Prokofiev became an avid balloonist himself, soon assuming the command of the First Airship Division, and turned out to be an effective project manager
Project management
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
for the early efforts of the Soviet stratospheric program.
USSR-1
In December 1932 Vladimir Chizhevsky proposed a detailed description of a balloon configuration capable of beating Auguste PiccardAuguste Piccard
Auguste Antoine Piccard was a Swiss physicist, inventor and explorer.-Biography:Piccard and his twin brother Jean Felix were born in Basel, Switzerland...
's altitude record. The military supported the project, named USSR-1
USSR-1
USSR-1 was a record-setting, hydrogen-filled Soviet Air Forces high-altitude balloon designed to seat a crew of three and perform scientific studies of the Earth's stratosphere...
, and Prokofiev assumed the role of its leader, coordinating efforts by military and civilian designers and technologists. Consolidation of practically all available expertise and rigorous safety enforcement resulted in a sound and safe design (unlike the ill-fated contemporary Osoaviakhim-1
Osoaviakhim-1
Osoaviakhim-1 was a record-setting, hydrogen-filled Soviet high-altitude balloon designed to seat a crew of three and perform scientific studies of the Earth's stratosphere. On January 30, 1934, on its maiden flight which lasted over 7 hours, the balloon reached an altitude of...
).
The widely publicized maiden flight
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
, scheduled on September 24, 1933, ended in a humiliating failure. First, when the envelope was already inflated, it was found that the bottom of the envelope dangerously mingled with the ropes. A volunteer, someone named Fyodor Tereschenko, climbed the ropes and untied the knots. USSR-1 was then cleared to fly, but failed to lift off due to moisture buildup in foggy weather.
The next attempt to launch USSR-1 was scheduled on September 30, 1933. Prokofiev, Konstantin Godunov and co-pilot Ernst Birnbaum lifted off at 8:40 Moscow Time
Moscow Time
Moscow Time is the time zone for the city of Moscow, Russia and most of western Russia, including Saint Petersburg. It is the second westernmost of the nine time zones of Russia. Moscow Time has been UTC+4 year-round since 27 March 2011....
and established radio contact with ground five minutes later. According to Prokofiev's flight log, at 9:17 USSR-1 passed 16,800 meter mark, beating Piccard's record; between 9:19 and 9:26 the aircraft, fully expanded, levelled in a static equilibrium
Hydrostatic equilibrium
Hydrostatic equilibrium or hydrostatic balance is the condition in fluid mechanics where a volume of a fluid is at rest or at constant velocity. This occurs when compression due to gravity is balanced by a pressure gradient force...
at 17,500 meters. Prokofiev released 80 kilograms of ballast to proceed further; after additional ballast drops at 9:47, 10:30, 11:40 and 12:00 the aircraft resumed slow ascent and at 12:55 reached 19,200–19,300 meters. Later, Prokofiev's numbers were adjusted for instrument errors to 19,000 meters max altitude at 12:45. Descent to 10,500 meters took around two hours; at this altitude the crew discharged all electrical batteries as a precaution against a short circuit
Short circuit
A short circuit in an electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path, often where essentially no electrical impedance is encountered....
during landing. At 16:36 (8,000 meters) Prokofiev stopped recording flight data and concentrated on airspeed control; around 17:00 the aircraft softly landed on a field near the town of Kolomna
Kolomna
Kolomna is an ancient city and the administrative center of Kolomensky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated at the confluence of the Moskva and Oka Rivers, southeast of Moscow. The area of the city is about . The city was founded in 1177...
, around 110 kilometers (68 mi) from the launch site.
The USSR-1 altitude record, although not recognized by FAI
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
, was publicized worldwide, as well as scientific data released shortly after the flight. The crewmembers, three designers and plant manager responsible for building USSR-1 were awarded the Order of Lenin
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin , named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union...
, then the highest award for military or civil achievement.
USSR-2
After the 1933 success Prokofiev emerged as an undisputed leader and expert in ballooning and directed subsequent flights of USSR-1 Bis (1935) and the investigation of Osoaviakhim-1Osoaviakhim-1
Osoaviakhim-1 was a record-setting, hydrogen-filled Soviet high-altitude balloon designed to seat a crew of three and perform scientific studies of the Earth's stratosphere. On January 30, 1934, on its maiden flight which lasted over 7 hours, the balloon reached an altitude of...
crash of 1934.
In May 1934 Prokofiev received a go-ahead to proceed with a new gigantic (300,000 cubic meters) balloon, the USSR-2 designed by Chizhevsky and Godunov to reach 30 kilometers altitude. If flown successfully, it could have become the first operational aircraft designed for pilots wearing pressure suit
Pressure suit
A pressure suit is a protective suit worn by high-altitude pilots who may fly at altitudes where the air pressure is too low for an unprotected person to survive, even breathing pure oxygen at positive pressure. Such suits may be either full-pressure or partial-pressure...
s. Prokofiev and Godunov themselves planned to fly the new balloon that, unlike earlier and later Soviet designs, seated only two. The gondola of USSR-2 had an airlock
Airlock
An airlock is a device which permits the passage of people and objects between a pressure vessel and its surroundings while minimizing the change of pressure in the vessel and loss of air from it...
attachment to allow exit into the stratosphere without explosive decompression. Instead of cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
fabric, its gas bag was made of parachute-grade silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
, a choice that killed the project. On the night of September 4–5, 1934, as the ground crews pumped hydrogen into the silk bag, an unexpected static spark
Static electricity
Static electricity refers to the build-up of electric charge on the surface of objects. The static charges remain on an object until they either bleed off to ground or are quickly neutralized by a discharge. Static electricity can be contrasted with current electricity, which can be delivered...
caused by friction of unfolding silk ignited the balloon. There were no fatalities on the ground but the project was shelved indefinitely.
USSR-3
After 1934 Prokofiev coordinated a new project – USSR-3. At 157,000 cubic meters volume and nearly 130 meters tall in launch configuration, hydrogenHydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
-filled USSR-3 would have been the second largest Soviet balloon after the failed USSR-2. Launching a balloon of this size from Russian plains turned out to be a futile race against weather, as even a slight wind prevented safe deployment of the gigantic gas bag. American balloonists solved the wind challenge by launching from deep canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
s (Stratobowl
Stratobowl
The Stratobowl is a compact natural depression within the limits of Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota, south-west of Rapid City. In 1934–1935 it housed a stratospheric balloon launch site, initially known as Stratocamp, sponsored by the National Geographic Society and the United States...
) or mining pits (Crosby, Minnesota
Crosby, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,299 people, 989 households, and 554 families residing in the city. The population density was 755.0 people per square mile . There were 1,081 housing units at an average density of 355.0 per square mile...
) while Soviet Air Forces relied on the single airfield in Moscow
Moscow
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...
suburbs. To alleviate the problem, Prokofiev designed the double launch sequence. Prior to launch, the balloon was pulled down to the gondola with temporary ropes wound around permanent suspension cables, halving the balloon's height. These ropes were designed to untangle and release the full length of suspension cables shortly after launch. The first test of Prokofiev's invention on a small 900 cubic meters balloon ended in the death of test pilot. Prokofiev prepared a second attempt (on a larger aircraft) and safely tested it himself. Later experience demonstrated that the system remained unsafe.
September 18, 1937, redesigned USSR-3 with Prokofiev, Krikun and Semyonov on board attempted liftoff from Kuntsevo field employing double launch procedure. At about 700–800 meters the temporary ropes failed to untangle correctly and accidentally damaged the gas release valve. The aircraft dived and the crew who had no time to bail out on personal parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
s suffered internal injuries on ground impact.
The last attempt to launch USSR-3 on March 16, 1939, ended in a similar debacle. Prior to launch, ground team failed to release the balloon from a safety net holding it to the ground; two balloonists on small single-seat hopper balloon
Hopper balloon
A hopper balloon is a small, one-person hot air balloon. Unlike a conventional hot air balloon where people ride inside a basket, there is no basket on a hopper balloon. Instead, the hopper pilot usually sits on a seat or wears a harness similar to a parachute harness. Hoppers are typically flown...
s were sent to untangle the net. At about 1,200 meters altitude double launch sequence ripped open the valve, again, and the balloon crashed in the woods halfway between Kuntsevo and downtown Moscow; crew (Prokofiev, Semyonov, Prilutsky) survived with serious injuries. According to Semyonov, Prokofiev, who stood in the open top hatch of the gondola, could bail out easily but preferred to stay on board to the end.
At first it appeared that Prokofiev escaped practically uninjured, but hospital examination revealed two shattered vertebrae, feet and intestinal
Intestine
In human anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine...
injuries. Journalist Lazar Brontman who spoke to Prokofiev in the hospital on April 4, 1939, recalled that Prokofiev was planning a sequence of new record flights on or after May 10, 1939, depending on weather conditions. However, on April 23 Prokofiev fatally shot himself. He was buried with military honors at Novodevichy Cemetery
Novodevichy Cemetery
Novodevichy Cemetery is the most famous cemetery in Moscow, Russia. It is next to the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist site. It should not be confused with the Novodevichy Cemetery in Saint Petersburg....
.