Research Notes on Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

“The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot live in the cradle forever.” – Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

In 1903, Tsiolkovsky wrote an article called, “Exploration of outer space by means of rocket devices,” in The Science Review.

Born in September 1857 in the village of Izhevskoye, Russia, Tsiolkovsky was the fifth child in a family of Polish descent. A bout of scarlet fever at the age of ten left him with significant hearing loss, limiting his formal education. Undeterred, he became an autodidact, immersing himself in physics and mathematics. The imaginative works of Jules Verne, especially “From the Earth to the Moon”, ignited his fascination with space travel. In 1876, Tsiolkovsky began his career as a schoolteacher in Borovsk, where he started crafting aeronautical experiments. In 1882, he moved to the town of Kaluga, dedicating his life to teaching and scientific inquiry. Working in virtual obscurity and without institutional support, he went into creating theory of space flight.

1883, Tsiolkovsky came up with an idea for reactive propulsion with the principle that a vehicle could propel itself by expelling part of its mass at high speed in the opposite direction. This insight was revolutionary, laying groundwork for modern rocket science. He mathematically derived the fundamental equation of rocket motion, now known as the Tsiolkovsky Rocket Equation, is the final total mass (after propellant is expended). This equation describes how rockets achieve velocity change, factoring in the expulsion of mass (still taught today by some historically minded faculty).

In 1903, Tsiolkovsky published his seminal work, “Exploration of Outer Space by Means of Rocket Devices”, in the Russian magazine Science Review (Nauchnoye Obozreniye) (see ref). He proposed the use of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as rocket propellants. He envisioned multi-stage rockets, space stations, airlocks for spacewalks, and colonization of the Solar System (though not the originator of these ideas). Despite his new theories, Tsiolkovsky did not have resources to create experimental research or practical applications. His thoughts were unrecognized and remained in a small circle within Russia.

In 1919, his contributions were formally acknowledged when he was elected to the Socialist Academy, the precursor to the USSR Academy of Sciences. He was granted a government pension, allowing him to focus on research. His research inspired a new generation of engineers and scientists, including Sergei Korolev, the chief designer of Soviet space program (who was not known outside the Soviet Union for a long time and there are wonderful documentaries online about Korolev).

Suggest reading the biography by Kosmodemyansky, A. (2000), “Konstantin Tsiolkovsky: His life and work,” 2000.

References

  • Tsiolkovsky, K. S. (1903). Exploration of outer space by means of rocket devices. The Science Review, 5. (primary ref).
  • https://www.nasa.gov/history/sputnik/
  • Siddiqi, A. A. (2000). Challenge to Apollo: the Soviet Union and the space race, 1945-1974 (Vol. 4408). National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA History Division, Office of Policy and Plans.
  • Kosmodemyansky, A. (2000). Konstantin Tsiolkovsky: His life and work. The Minerva Group.

Early Rockets and Review Notes

One of the earliest documented uses of rockets was in China. Father Antoine Gaubil, a French Jesuit missionary and historian, described an event in his 1739 writings, “When it was lit, it made a noise that resembled thunder and extended 24 km. The place where it fell was burned, and the fire extended more than 2000 feet. These iron nozzles, the flying powder halberds that were hurled, were what the Mongols feared most.” This account details how, in 1232, the Chinese successfully defended the city of Kaifeng against a massive Mongol invasion using rocket-propelled fire arrows.

The Chinese are credited with the invention of black powder, a mixture of charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate), in 9th century during the Tang dynasty. Initially used for medicinal purposes and fireworks, black powder’s potential as a propellant was realized. By the Song dynasty, the Chinese developed rudimentary rockets by attaching bamboo tubes filled with black powder to arrows, creating the so-called “fire arrows.” These fire arrows were psychological weapons and had destructive capabilities. During the Mongol invasions, the Chinese employed a variety of gunpowder weapons, including rockets, bombs, and flamethrowers, to defend their territories. These early rockets started to include aerodynamic design features to increase range.

Gunpowder and rocketry gradually spread westward through the Silk Road and during Mongol invasions. By the 13th and 14th centuries, the use of gunpowder weapons had reached the Middle East and Europe. The adaptation and advancement of these technologies in Europe were slow due to limited understanding and secrecy surrounding its composition. It was not until the 16th century that rocketry saw more systematic development in Europe, primarily for fireworks and signaling rather than as weapons. For example, the beginning of using gas lamps in Paris by the court was marked by fireworks, creating the saying ‘city of light.’

Sir William Congreve of England was inspired by the rockets used by the Kingdom of Mysore in India against British forces. Sir William sought to develop his own versions for the British military. Congreve designed rockets with improved propulsion and stability, using iron casings and sticks to help guide the rocket on its flight-path. His rockets were utilized during the Napoleonic Wars and notably in the War of 1812. The ‘rocket’s red glare'”‘ referenced by Francis Scott Key in The Star-Spangled Banner alludes to the Sir William’s rockets fired by British ships during the bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814.

Rockets remained largely empirical devices until the late 19th and early 20th centuries when scientific principles were systematically applied by early aerospace engineers such as Konstantin Tsiolkovsky (Russian), Robert H. Goddard (American), and Hermann Oberth (German).

References

  • Gaubil, A. (1739). Histoire de Gentchiscan et de toute la Dinastie des Mongous ses successeurs conquérans de la chine: tirée de l’histoire chinoise. Chez Briasson, libraire… et Piget, libraire.
  • Needham, J. (1974). Science and civilisation in China (Vol. 5). Cambridge University Press.
  • Kelly, J. (2004). Gunpowder: alchemy, bombards, and pyrotechnics: the history of the explosive that changed the world. Basic Books (AZ).
  • Temple, R. (1986). The Genius of China: 3,000 Years of Science, Discovery, and Invention. Simon & Schuster.
  • Partington, J. R. (1999). A history of Greek fire and gunpowder. JHU Press.
  • Congreve, W. (1817). A Concise Account of the Origin and Progress of the Rocket System: With a View of the Apparent Advantages Both as to the Effect Produced, and Comparative Saving of Expense Arising from the Peculiar Facilities of Application which it Possesses, as Well for Naval as Military Purposes. A. O’Neil.
  • Tsiolkovsky, K. S. (1903). Exploration of outer space by means of rocket devices. The Science Review, 5.
  • Goddard, R. H. (1919). A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes, volume 71 (2) of Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. Smithsonian institution, City of Washington.
  • Oberth, H. (1984). Die Rakete zu den Planetenräumen. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag.

Hypersonics History of Reentry

Lately, I have been examining the entire history of hypersonics research and technology, with a particular focus on the re-entry problem and ablation for small vehicles, such as those from ballistic missiles. While reviewing the writings of Wernher von Braun, I was amused to find that he joked about using frozen balsa wood as a potential material for re-entry vehicles. The re-entry challenge was initially posed to the scientific community by Theodore von Kármán of CalTech GALCIT and JPL as one of the most formidable problems to solve.

Early aerodynamic designs, borrowed from supersonic studies, often featured pointed shapes; however, these were soon discounted by experimental results at NASA and associated analysis. Test rocket programs, which explored ballistic trajectories at varying speeds and altitudes, revealed that aerodynamic ‘heating ‘heat barrier’ was the primary problem – unlike in supersonics, where the sound barrier was the main concern.

Ultimately, materials such as glass substrates and nylon were the first to be successfully used as ablative materials. This is quite different from today’s approaches, which involve advanced materials, composites, and sophisticated analyses for active cooling or modern ablative materials.

Words and Virginia Woolf

Finally, and most emphatically, words, like ourselves, in order to live at their ease, need privacy. Undoubtedly they like us to think, and they like us to feel, before we use them; but they also like us to pause; to become unconscious. Our unconsciousness is their privacy; our darkness is their light… That pause was made, that veil of darkness was dropped, to tempt words to come together in one of those swift marriages which are perfect images and create everlasting beauty. But no – nothing of that sort is going to happen tonight. The little wretches are out of temper; disobliging; disobedient; dumb. What is it that they are muttering? “Time’s up! Silence!”

Virginia Woolf, BBC, April, 29, 1937

Kelly Johnson on X-Plane Programs

Our present research airplanes have developed startling performance only by the use of rocket engines and flying essentially in a vacuum. Testing airplanes designed for transonic flight speeds at Mach numbers between 2 and 3 has proven, mainly, the bravery of the test pilots and the fact that where there is no drag, the rocket engine can propel even mediocre aerodynamic forms at high Mach numbers.

I am not aware of any aerodynamic or power plant improvements to airbreathing engines that have resulted from our very expensive research airplane program. Our modern tactical airplanes have been designed almost entirely on NACA and other wind-tunnel data, plus certain rocket model tests…. — Kelly Johnson

Navier-Stokes Equations and Practicality

Because an effort is likely impossible and impractical does not mean it is not worth attempting. The Navier-Stokes equations and turbulent flow represent the last great classical problem in physics. Since the time of Leonard Euler and Jean-Baptiste le Rond d’Alembert, many have devoted much of their lives to working on these problems. Although they have all failed, they may have made incremental progress toward understanding the physics and mathematics of these significant partial differential equations.

Eight Years at Florida

It has now been eight years since I joined the University of Florida. Years ago, the University was a very different place. Many things have changed due to external and internal factors. One thing is for certain: I am told that the academic community and academics are always changing. To be a successful professor, much like in biological theory, one must be adaptable.

Deming and Statistics

In God we trust. All others must bring data. — W. Edwards Deming

Deming revolutionized quality management with his emphasis on data-driven decision-making. His 1950s lectures on Statistical Product Quality Administration in Japan were instrumental in Japan’s post-war economic growth, helping it become the world’s second-largest economy. Deming was awarded the National Medal of Technology in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan. The Deming Prize, created by the Japanese Union of Scientists and Engineers, honors contributions to Total Quality Management.

On Websites at Florida

I have moved my faculty website to this website. My personal and faculty website are now located and combined here at saemiller.com. There is a redirect from https://faculty.eng.ufl.edu/fluids/

The university depends on academic freedom, and academic freedom depends on tenure. Without tenure there is no academic freedom, and without academic freedom there is no university.