Participation of the Kharkiv Astronomical Observatory and its staff in the Soviet Space Program in 1960-ies

Abstract

The article is devoted to the studying of documentary facts on the history of astronomy of the 1960s. Its purpose is to highlight the events related to the participation of the Kharkiv astronomical observatory in the Soviet space program in a certain period. The chronology of involvement of Kharkiv astronomers in programs on development and functioning of objects «V-67», «Е-7», «Е-8», «L-3», «М-69», creation of artificial Lunodrome, processing of photographic materials, that were obtained by spacecraft «Lunar orbiter 2», «Ranger 7», «Surveyor 1», «Luna-9», «Luna-12», «Luna-13», and «Zond-3» are considered. The directions of scientific research in projects «Altai», «Atlas», «Luks», and others of the Astronomical observatory of O.M. Gorky Kharkiv State University are analyzed. The main tasks that the Kharkiv astronomical observatory carried out in the 1960s were found next: photometric studies of details on the reverse side of the Moon; study of the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of the lunar soil and its optical properties; photometric analysis of certain areas of the lunar surface; photometric calculations necessary for the design of orientation systems of automatic interplanetary stations; study of the luminosity of the lunar surface. The retro-information resources, which were firstly involved into consideration, provided a chronological sequence of events related to the participation of the University observatory in the development and functioning of artificial space objects during the given period. These resources helped to specify the achievements of Kharkiv astronomers in the Soviet program of space exploration and to prove (or clarify) some little-known facts.