Odin Media - Shchelkin Godfather of the First Atomic Bomb (2019)
When the time came in August 1945 to seriously develop the atomic bomb, the Soviet program was able to draw upon many individuals who made prominent contributions to the twentieth century revolution in physics. One of them was Kirill Ivanovich Shchelkin, a physicist from USSR Academy of Sciences and member of the atomic project in research institute 1011. His role in the development of Soviet nuclear weapons, particularly the physics of combustion and explosion was significant, but he is not well-known among the most honored scientists of the Soviet Union. Indeed, few people have heard this name, while the names of Kurchatov, Sakharov and Korolev are known to the whole world. Meanwhile, Shchelkin was one of the main creators of atomic and hydrogen bombs, one of the founders of modern cosmonautics, three times a hero of Socialist labor, a man whom Igor Kurchatov called “The Godfather of the atomic bomb.” The scientific research of Shchelkin and his colleagues led a grateful Stalin awarding five of the physicists the title of Hero of Socialist Labor following the successful bomb test. It was the highest honor the Soviet Union could bestow. The five were Kurchatov, Khariton, Shchelkin, Zel'dovich, and Flerov. Shchelkin's most notable contribution was his work in combustion and gas dynamics, and in honor of Shchelkin the monument was opened in Snezhinsk, and the town of Shchelkino in the Crimea was named after him.
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