A planet is named after him. KBSU celebrated the centenary of Timur Eneev

On September 17, the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov hosted an Interregional Scientific Conference dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Timur Magometovich Eneev, a prominent scientist who made a significant contribution to the development of the foundations of theoretical and applied cosmonautics.

Before its start, an auditorium named after Academician T.M. Eneev was opened at the Institute of Physics and Mathematics of KBSU. The solemn ceremony dedicated to this significant event was attended by teachers and students of the university, representatives of the scientific community and public organizations, as well as students of Secondary School No. 4 in the village of Kyondelen, named after the famous scientist.

The red ribbon was cut by the acting rector of KBSU Yuri Altudov, scientific director of the Scientific and Production Center «Antigrad» Magomet Abshaev and representative of the family — Salikh Eneev.

Today is a significant day. We remember a great man and scientist, thanks to whose discoveries our country was the first to launch a man into space. There are not many people in history who have made a valuable contribution to the development of cosmonautics and whose works are still a reference book for those working in this field. And today we have the opportunity to once again remind young people of the great discoveries of our fellow countryman. I wish you successful work,

— said Yuri Altudov at the opening of the conference.

Chairman of the Kabardino-Balkarian regional public organization for the preservation of the historical, cultural and linguistic heritage of the Balkar people «Council of Representatives of the Clans of Balkaria «Birlik» («Unity») Akhmat Sumayev expressed gratitude to the leadership of KBSU for organizing the conference:

It is nice to see so many young people in the hall who should learn from the life examples of such outstanding compatriots as Timur Magometovich Eneev. Any nation is great when it remembers its history, culture, cherishes its customs, preserves its native language. Having such sons as Timur Magomedovich, our country is simply obliged to be a great state.

The scientific director of the NPC «Antigrad», doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, professor Magomet Abshayev spoke about the scientific heritage of the academician.

He announced the decision to come forward with a proposal to the republic’s leadership to name the Children’s Creativity Academy «Sunny City» after T.M. Eneev and to erect a monument to the scientist opposite it, as well as to establish his personal scholarship for students and postgraduates of the republic in the physical, mathematical and technical fields.

These proposals, as well as the initiative to hold thematic lessons in the republic’s schools dedicated to the centenary of the birth of Academician Eneev, caused approving applause in the hall.

Professor of the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science of the Kabardino-Balkarian State University Muaed Oshkhunov, head of the Department of Mixed-Type Equations of the Institute of Mathematical Analysis of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Attaev, leading engineer of the Department of Theoretical and Experimental Physics Martin Masaev, member of the Union of Writers of Russia, author of the book about Timur Eneev «The Light of the Star and the Candle» and others gave reports on the life and work of the academician.

Salikh Eneev thanked the management and faculty of KBSU for remembering the outstanding scientist and respecting his achievements.

For reference:

Timur Magometovich Eneev was born on September 23, 1924 in Grozny, Chechen Autonomous Region of the RSFSR (now the Chechen Republic within the Russian Federation). His father was a communist party functionary, a Balkar, Magomet Alievich Eneev. His mother, Evgenia Petrovna, was Russian. During the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, Timur Eneev worked at a military plant, where he lost his right arm in an accident.

In 1948, he graduated from the Mechanics and Mathematics Department of the Moscow State University (MSU) named after M.V. Lomonosov, and in 1951, he completed his postgraduate studies at the Research Institute of Mechanics of MSU.

Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. In 1952 he defended his candidate’s dissertation, in 1959 — his doctoral dissertation. In 1968 he was elected a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, in 1992 — an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

After completing his postgraduate studies in 1951-1953 he worked as a junior research fellow in the mechanics department of the Steklov Mathematical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, which was headed by Academician Mstislav Keldysh. He was involved in solving practical problems of rocket technology.

In 1953-1967 he was a junior, then senior research fellow in the Department of Applied Mathematics of the Steklov Mathematical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, which was formed on the initiative of Keldysh on the basis of the Mechanics Department.

Since 1967 — senior researcher, head of Sector, chief researcher at the Institute of Applied Mathematics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, created on the basis of the eponymous department of the Steklov Mathematical Institute. He was engaged in calculating the trajectories of the first flights of artificial Earth satellites, automatic stations to the Moon, etc.

He was a member of the Department of Power Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanics and Control Processes of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Section of Mechanical Engineering and Control Processes Problems). Until January 2019, he was the editor-in-chief of the RAS journal “Cosmic research”.

Timur Eneev is a specialist in mechanics, control theory and applied mathematics, the author of works on theoretical and applied celestial mechanics, flight dynamics of aircraft, astronautics, cosmogony. In 1951, the scientist solved the problem of choosing the optimal control for the orientation of the axis of a composite rocket. Subsequently, the results he obtained formed the basis for calculations when launching the first artificial Earth satellite into orbit (1957). Together with other scientists, Eneev created a simple and reliable method for estimating when a satellite would leave orbit and burn up in the dense layers of the atmosphere. In 1953, he proposed using a ballistic descent of a spacecraft from orbit as a means of safe return from a manned flight. This principle was applied during the landing of the first cosmonaut on the planet, Yuri Gagarin (1961). The methodology he developed for studying the dispersion of landing points of a descent vehicle on the terrain is used to analyze the landing accuracy in a given area for both automatic and manned vehicles. Under Eneev’s leadership, methods for calculating satellite orbits and a scheme for accelerating interplanetary spacecraft from an intermediate orbit of an artificial Earth satellite were developed.

The academician died on September 8, 2019 in Moscow at the age of 94.

Laureate of the Lenin Prize (1957) for his participation in preparing the launch of the first artificial Earth satellite. He was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor (1956, 1975), the Order of Lenin (1961), the Order of the October Revolution (1984), and the Order of Honor (2005).

He was awarded the Russian Academy of Sciences awards: the F. A. Tsander Prize and Gold Medal (1992) for a series of works on the theory of motion and flight control of rockets and spacecraft, the gold medal named after M. V. Keldysh (2010) for a series of works on mechanics and motion control.

Laureate of the Demidov Prize (2006) for his contribution to the development of the foundations of theoretical and applied cosmonautics.