XIV scientific readings «Dnepr orbit», dedicated to the humanitarian aspects of space exploration opened on October 24 in the Yuzhnoye State Design office’s Lesnoy resort hotel.

Sponsors of the event are Yangel Yuzhnoye State Design office, A.Makarov National center for the aerospace education of youth and S. Korolev Museum of cosmonautics under the aegis of Zhitomir regional council. Event was also sponsored by the State Space Agency of Ukraine.

Among the special guests of readings were Sergey Kavelin, chief specialist of Yuzhnoye SDO spacecraft subdivision; Varfolomey Savchuk, Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor of O.Honchar DNU; Irina Dyachuk, Doctor of Philosophy, director of S. Korolev Museum of cosmonautics; Nadezhda Kushlakova, Doctor of Historical Sciences, professor of the West Donbass Institute of inter-regional academy of human resources management; Sergey Davydov, Doctor of Engineering, professor, dean of physicotechnical faculty of O.Honchar DNU; Anna Gurova, candidate of legal sciences, research assistant of the V.M.Koretsky Institute of State and Law under the Ukraine’s National Academy of Science; Vitaly Yatsenko, candidate of science (physics and mathematics), director of L. Kadenyuk Centre of young technicians in Chernovtsy.

Many experts and research assistants, young scientists and students of the enterprises, organizations, high schools of aerospace branch of Dnepr, Kiev, Zhitomir, Kharkov, Poltava, Chernovtsy and other cities of Ukraine have applied to participate in the scientific readings. 45 speakers had been registered; other readings participants were also registered as audience members.

For the second day of readings sessions in six scientific areas were planned:

– History of aviation and rocket and space technology;

– Aerospace education of youth and a high school science;

– Ecology and Space;

– Philosophy and Space;

– Economic-legal, humanitarian and ethical aspects of outer space exploration;

– Youth and Space.

Introductory speech was delivered by Alexey Kulik, director of A.M.Makarov National center for the aerospace education of youth.

Main report at the readings «Space is the arena for cooperation», dedicated to the Interkosmos program activities, was presented by Sergey Kavelin.

This year readings were dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the launch of the first spacecraft developed under the Interkosmos program.

Spacecraft DS-UZ-IK-1 (“Interkosmos-1”), created as a result of joint efforts of scientists and specialists from the USSR, GDR and Czechoslovakia, was to study the short-wave radiation of the Sun, its spectral composition and influence on the upper atmosphere of the Earth. The satellite was launched into the low earth orbit on October 14, 1969 by 11К63 launch vehicle (“Kosmos”), developed by Yuzhnoye SDO.

Among the basic experiment results: for the first time it was possible to discover the polarization of the X-radiation during the solar bursts; optical and Lyman-alpha photometers have defined the supply of molecular oxygen and aerosols in the upper atmosphere of the Earth during passing of the spacecraft in the Earth shadow.

As a part of readings two round-table discussions were scheduled. The first one is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Mikhail Galas‘s birth, specialist in the field of development of strategic ballistic missiles and launch vehicles, participant in the creation of the USSR’s missile and nuclear shield. The second one – to the 95th anniversary of Gennady Komanov‘s birth, expert in the field of rocket engineering, talented technical officer, former chief engineer of A.M.Makarov Yuzhmash PA, first director of A.M.Makarov National center for the aerospace education of youth.