Founded and led Soviet radio-electronics for 20 years, building the electronic backbone of spaceflight and ABM
On 17 June 1961, by an unpublished decree, he was awarded Hero of Socialist Labor — for the electronic systems that made Gagarin's flight possible.
He led the Soviet radio-electronics industry for 20 years, from 1954 until his death, remaining at its head through three ministry reorganizations. Starting as an electrician in Rostov-on-Don and graduating from the Moscow Power Engineering Institute by night school, he rose through shipbuilding research institutes developing naval radar and guided weaponry, twice winning the Stalin Prize. Appointed the first Minister of the Radio-Technical Industry in 1954, he built the electronic base for crewed spaceflight and the Moscow A-35, the world's first operational ABM system. Awarded Hero of Socialist Labor by closed decree in 1961 for the electronics behind Gagarin's flight, he was one of the few to receive seven Orders of Lenin.
Career Timeline
- 1924–1929Electrician in Rostov-on-Don; graduated Rostov Industrial Technicum evening division
- 1929–1933Master → shop chief → senior engineer, Moskabel factory, Moscow
- 1934Graduated Moscow Power Engineering Institute (MEI) evening division
- 1935–1942NII-10, People's Commissariat of Shipbuilding: design engineer → chief designer → chief engineer
- 1942–1949Director of NII-10 (later NII-100 'Altair'), shipbuilding industry
- 1949–1951Head, Main Admin. of Reactive Armament, Ministry of Shipbuilding
- 1951–1954Deputy Head, Third Main Admin., Council of Ministers (radar and SAM)
- 1954–1957Minister of the Radio-Technical Industry of the USSR
- 1957–1963Chairman, State Cttee for Radio-Electronics, Council of Ministers — Minister
- 1963–1965Chairman, State Cttee for Radio-Electronics — Minister of the USSR
- 1965–1974Minister of the Radio Industry of the USSR (died in office)