Aura and the thing that does not burn in atmosphere

One respected man (to say the truth, only due to appointment) at the very serious conference that took place in Zhytomyr caused the laughter in a hall. Reading the text of the report prepared for him by the workers of personnel of his capital department, he got stuck on the name of one of districts of regional center. And at once he delivered the real level of erudition. Because instead of “Korolyovs’kyi” he said “Korolivs’kyi” (is translated as “Royal”). And he also commented on it: “Ouch, it’s interesting, your history is connected with kings”. Fortunately, there is not many such ‘connoisseurs” of history.

The creator of practical cosmonautics is commemorated in Zhytomyr. Not only a district, but also a street has his name. The Zhytomyr military institute of radio electronics named after Serhiy Korolyov prepares specialists in the sphere of mastering the space and in the sphere of space secret service, in particular. There is a monument to the chief designer in the square of the city center in front of the house of regional board and regional state administration. And the program of visits of different delegations, especially foreign ones, usually foresees the visit of the Museum of cosmonautics.

Recently the regular, already the sixth one, international scientific and practical conference “Man and space” devoted to the 100-th anniversary since the birthday of Serhiy Korolyov, took place in Zhytomyr.

The museum has become the cultural center of the city. Concerts, literary readings, meetings with interesting people, exhibitions of pictures of different artists occur there. The club of scientific fantasy “Star corsair” attached to the museum operates there. And now imagine: new-year morning for children-orphans takes place and Baba-Yaga (old witch) appears from a trigger vehicle… Such interesting arrangements together with sponsors’ gifts are prepared for kids by workers of the museum.

The most important event for the collective is that the regional board for the first time gave a considerable sum of money for repair. Because the house, where Korolyov was born, built yet in the previous century, and, consequently, wood was bent down. The original appearance of building of that time was restored due to description of Serhiy Korolyov’s mother; even the roof was repainted, as it was one hundred years ago.

The workers of the museum dream about building of one more apartment, as in fact the pavilion of space-system engineering was built as “a storehouse”: there is no conditions neither for storage of funds, nor for the work of workers. Even a project is being already developed. It is planned to be with a conference hall, room for a library, planetarium. But nobody promises to give money for building.

Oleksiy KAVUN