The first to propose a scientific theory of space flight was Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, who at the beginning of the century for the first time theoretically justified the possibility of space exploration with missiles. He established the laws of motion of the rocket, investigated the impact of the drag force on its movement, highlighted the advantage of rocket engines at high speeds, developed a blueprint for an interplanetary rocket, argued the use of liquid fuel and developed the idea of a multi-stage rocket. The scientist wrote: ‘I will be glad if my work will encourage others to do further work’.

In 1921, Gas Dynamics Laboratory (GDL) was established in Leningrad, where scientists worked on the development of jet engines. In 1931-1932, the first liquid fuel rocket engine was constructed in GDL.

At this time in Moscow, a Jet Propulsion Study Group (GIRD) was formed. The engineers gathered in the evenings, in their spare time. By 1933, helmed by Sergei Korolev GRID designed and built a series of rockets with engines that operated on liquid fuel.

On August 17, 1933, the first rocket - ‘09’ designed by Mikhail TikhonrAvov - was launched into the air at the test site in NakhAbino (Moscow region). The launch was successful: the rocket reached 400 meters in altitude.

Its length was 2point4 m, diameter 180 mm, launch weight 19 kg. The body of the rocket was divided into four sections: parachute, payload, fuel and tail. A long cylindrical oxygen tank was installed in the fuel section. The engine chamber inside the tail section determined the diameter of the rocket.

The first launch was followed by others. In 1933, GDL and the GID were merged into one organization, the Reactive Research Institute (RNII).

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky wrote: ‘I believe many of you will witness the first exoatmospheric journey’. Today, such journeys do not seem unusual: people have not only gone beyond the atmosphere, but have been living and working for several months in an orbital station in low Earth orbit.