A nine-volume encyclopedia titled Mezhplanetnye Soobschniya, published between 1928 and 1932, solidified Nikolai Rynin's position as a foundational historian and researcher of aerospace flight. While his professional origins rested in the rigid demands of civil engineering and railway infrastructure, he shifted his focus toward the theoretical mechanics of manned aviation and rocket-propelled travel early in the twentieth century.
Professional Formation and Academic Tenure
Born in Moscow in 1877, Rynin completed his formal education at the Emperor Alexander Institute of Railway Engineers. This institution served as both the site of his academic training and a primary base for his early career. He eventually rose to the rank of full professor, holding academic and research positions at the Emperor Alexander Institute of Railway Engineers and the Mozhaysky Air Force Academy. His expertise spanned practical civil engineering and the emerging field of aeronautical science, where he gained personal experience as both a balloonist and an aircraft pilot.
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Rynin acted as a curator of aerospace history, most notably through his recovery of the designs of Nikolai Kibalchich. In April 1918, he utilized the magazine Byloye to publish Kibalchich's technical description of a manned, rocket-propelled vessel. This design had previously been relegated to police archives before Rynin secured and publicized the documents. This work helped preserve early concepts of propulsion that might otherwise have been lost to history.
Interplanetary Communications
The nine-volume encyclopedia known as Interplanetary Communications remains his most significant contribution to the study of space travel. The scope of this collection covered diverse topics including early human fantasies, science fiction, rocket theory, superaviation, and the life and writings of K.E. Tsiolkovsky. The final volumes addressed the mathematics of astronavigation and provided a comprehensive bibliography of the field. NASA later translated these volumes into English, ensuring their continued accessibility to the global scientific community.
Final Years and Legacy
During his later career, Rynin engaged in international scientific exchange, including correspondence with American researcher Robert H. Goddard in 1926 regarding Soviet rocketry efforts. He was also a member of the Group for the Study of Reactive Motion. Rynin died in 1942 in Kazan, having suffered from illness and starvation during the German siege of Leningrad. The lunar crater Rynin serves as a permanent namesake for his contributions to aerospace science.
Fast facts
- Born: 1877, Moscow
- Died: 1942, Kazan
- Education: Emperor Alexander Institute of Railway Engineers
- Major work: Mezhplanetnye Soobschniya
- Professional title: Full professor
- Notable association: Group for the Study of Reactive Motion
Questions readers ask
What was the subject of Rynin's nine-volume encyclopedia?
The work, titled Interplanetary Communications, covered the history, theory, and science of rocket propulsion and space flight.
How did Rynin encounter the work of Nikolai Kibalchich?
He retrieved Kibalchich's designs for a rocket-propelled ship from police archives and published them in a 1918 issue of Byloye magazine.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Mozhaysky Air Force Academy and Emperor Alexander Institute of Railway Engineers
- Educated at Emperor Alexander Institute of Railway Engineers
- Worked as civil engineer and engineer