The Mishin Diaries, a New Significant Primary Source of Space History Information

Paper number

IAC-15,E4,1,2,x28201

Author

Dr. Dmitry Payson, Russian Federation

Coauthor

Prof. Oleg Alifanov, Moscow Aviation Institute, Russian Federation

Coauthor

Mr. Ivan Moiseev, Russian Federation

Coauthor

Mr. Charles Vick, United States

Coauthor

Mr. David Woods, United States

Year

2015

Abstract

In January 2015 the Mishin Diaries were presented in Moscow as the result of a multiyear effort to document a significant information resource of space history. With the key role and assistance of Charles Vick and David Woods, a copy of the Vasily Mishin Diaries, owned by The Perot Foundation, were sent to the Moscow Aviation Institute. They were deciphered and uploaded for the free use by all at http://www.mishindiaries.com . 

Vasily Mishin (1917-2001) was a prominent Russian space program engineer and industry manager who had headed the country’s national human spaceflight program after Sergey Korolyov's death. He later would join Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) as a faculty member. In December, 1993 a set of Mishin’s handwritten personal diaries (technical notes) was sent by him to the Sotheby’s auction and purchased by the Perot Foundation. After Mishin’s death in 2001, a number of international space history researchers, including Charles Vick and David Woods in the United States, and Dr.Maxim Tarasenko and Dr.Dmitry Payson in Russia began an effort to start a memorial project of the Mishin Diaries by having them transcribed and published to serve as a significant document for international space history heritage. Charles Vick was able to contact the Perot Foundation and requested that copies of the diaries be made available for this project. Permission was granted and special arrangements were made to get the copies delivered to Moscow to begin the project.

In 2015, a limited number of the Diaries' copies were printed. In addition to the published copies, .pdf versions of each of the volumes were uploaded to the Internet and made available with free access for space program historians and enthusiasts. 

The paper discusses the history of the Diaries as well as  interesting historical revelations based on their deciphered content by Vasily Mishin. The information covered includes the early Soyuz program, N1-L3 related issues and space program visionary planning.

Abstract document

IAC-15,E4,1,2,x28201.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-15,E4,1,2,x28201.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.