Heritage and museums of rocket and space science cities. Problems and trends of transformation.

M. I. Kuznetsov

Union for the Development of Science Cities

[email protected]

 

Annotation

The varieties and features of rocket and space science cities as a cultural phenomenon are shown. The range of heritage sites, museum and demonstration complexes is presented. The ways of developing the activities of municipal, corporate, and university museums through inter-museum communication and an integrated approach to the presentation of heritage objects are shown.

 

The legacy of the USSR and Russia in the rocket and space sphere of activity contains objects of different scales. Complex heritage objects include territorial and cultural complexes as a whole, that is, the cultural landscape of the territories where rocket and space enterprises and organizations (science cities, ZATO, isolated territories) are located, or its individual fragments. After all, Russian science cities are not only a technological phenomenon, but also an important cultural phenomenon, part of the common cultural heritage of the country and the world.

This is especially true for rocket and space science cities, not only because the rocket and space industry is one of the most science-intensive, but also because it is here that the phenomenon of cultural expansion, the expansion of human civilization beyond the Earth, is felt as an actual phenomenon.

About 20 science cities have a«rocket and space» profile - they conduct research, develop and manufacture rocket and space systems, or test them, launch and control flights, and train cosmonauts.

These are, for example, such science cities as Zvezdny Gorodok, Korolev, Krasnoznamensk, Reutov, Peresvet, Tomilino, Khimki, Dzerzhinsky (all – Moscow Region), Biysk (Altai Territory), Zheleznogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), Znamensk (Astrakhan Region), Mirny (Arkhangelsk Region). Some of the landfills and experimental complexes remained outside of Russia, for example, Baikonur.

A number of science cities have a special status: Korolev, Reutov and Biysk-the status of the science city of the Russian Federation; Zheleznogorsk, Zvezdny Gorodok, Znamensk, Krasnozmensk and Mirny – the status of closed administrative-territorial entities (ZATO).

In the rocket and space cluster of science cities, «a diverse «natural» collection of products of engineering innovation was carried out; extensive and «deep» collections of artifacts were accumulated» [1].

Here are some examples of scientific and technical complexes, systems and installations located in enterprises and organizations and on the museum and demonstration bases available in them.

Rocket and space technology, control centers, simulators and test complexes – in RSC «Energia» (Korolev), NPO Lavochkin (Khimki), Mission Control Center (Korolev), MIC «NPO Mashinostroeniya» (Reutov), Cosmonaut Training Center (Zvezdny Gorodok), State State-owned Scientific testing Ground for Aviation Systems (Beloozersky), collection of rocket and space technology – in the showroom of the Dmitrov branch of the Bauman MSTUin the science city near Moscow Orevo.

Rocket engines – in NPO «Energomash» (Khimki), the Design Bureau of Chemical Engineering named after A.M. Isaev (Korolev), the MIC @NPO Mashinostroeniya» (Reutov).

Aviation and space life support systems and rescue equipment (spacesuits, catapults, in-flight fuel refueling systems, etc.) – at the RPE «Zvezda» (Tomilino).

Missile and aviation weapons systems and air defense and missile defense systems, including the air defense systems of Moscow during the Great Patriotic War and modern means and systems-in the Museum of the Air Defense Forces (Zarya village, declassified since 2006), the museum of the Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation (Korolev), the State Design Bureau «Raduga» (Dubna).

But in the cultural landscape of science cities, along with the anthropogenic material, there is also a significant non-material component, primarily high-level scientific, engineering and organizational and managerial schools. The memorial component is extensive – outstanding scientists and engineers worked here, unique complexes and systems were created and tested.

The history of rocket technology should be based on scientifically reliable facts, primary materials and objects. These same components of the heritage are the most important object of attention in the museum part of the heritage. First of all, the following heritage sites can be distinguished:

- artifact collections and individual items;

- memorial objects and objects;

- scientific and technical complexes and installations, including those currently used for their intended purpose (some of them are quite museum-like in nature).

By affiliation, there are three main types of museums in science cities today: municipal, corporate (including museums and showrooms of development companies, research institutes, etc.) and universitymuseums. Of these, only the municipal museums are open to the public, while the museums of enterprises and organizations are usually located on their territory and have limited access and require special permits with various restrictions.

On the territory of the enterprises there are also memorial scientific and technical objects outside the «museum» spaces. The presentation of these objects in conjunction with objects and objects in museum and demonstration complexes and heritage sites on the municipal territory is very difficult today and represents one of the most urgent tasks. In addition, require bringing it in line with modern integrated information support system and inter-Museum of communication integration in a common information space Museum located on the municipal territory of heritage sites.

As an example, the report considers the «heritage complex» as a whole and the museums of the city of Korolev, as well as a number of projects developed by the Union for the Development of Science Cities, implemented [2] and being improved [3] at the present time.

 

References

1. Kuznetsov M.I. Cultural phenomenon of space science cities of Russia //Cosmonautics and Culture. Proceedings of the XXXVIII Academic Readings on Cosmonautics, Moscow: Association of Cosmonautics Museums of Russia, 2014, pp. 167-176

2. Kuznetsov M.I. Youth educational and research expeditions to the science cities of Russia. In Sat. History of Technology and Museum business: materials of the IX International Scientific and Practical Conference. December 1-3, 2015 / Ministry of Culture of Russia. Federation, the Polytechnic Museum, ihst, Association "UNIT". R.V. Artemenko, ed. - comp.; Issue 8. Moscow: IIET RAS, Polytechnic Museum, Association "AMNIT", 2016. pp. 406-411.

3. Navigator on the space addresses of the Moscow region / [auth.- comp. A.V. Khavanov; under the general editorship of M.I. Kuznetsov]; Federation of Cosmonautics of Russia, Moscow State University. Yu.A. Senkevich Institute of Tourism Industry, Union of Science Cities of Russia. - Moscow: Klyuch-S, 2017. - 128 p.