Viktor Nikitovich Mikhaylov (February 12, 1934, in Moscow – June 25, 2011) was a Russian academic and nuclear scientist. From 1969 to 1988 Mikhaylov directed the Research Institute of Nuclear Impulse Technology. He personally oversaw more than 100 nuclear experiments during his directorship and spent over nine years at the Semipalatinsk and Novaya Zemlya test sites.
In 1992, Mikhaylov was selected to head the newly formed Ministry of Atomic Energy, or
MinAtom
Ministry for Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation and Federal Agency on Atomic Energy (or Rosatom), were a Russian federal executive body in 1992–2008 (as Federal Ministry in 1992–2004 and as Federal Agency in 2004–2008).
The Min ...
(now Rosatom). Under his tenure Russia maintained its nuclear infrastructure and saw an increase in international cooperation on
atomic energy Atomic energy or energy of atoms is energy carried by atoms. The term originated in 1903 when Ernest Rutherford began to speak of the possibility of atomic energy.Isaac Asimov, ''Atom: Journey Across the Sub-Atomic Cosmos'', New York:1992 Plume, ...
growth. Starting in 1999, Mikhaylov led the Institute of Strategic Stability, and from 1992 to 2007 he was chairman of
Rosatom
Rosatom, ( rus, Росатом, p=rɐsˈatəm}) also known as Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation, the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom or Rosatom State Corporation, is a Russian state corporation headquartered in Moscow that speciali ...
's nuclear consulting division and manager of the Federal center for Nuclear Research. He was also the bearer of many other titles: Academician of
RAS
Ras or RAS may refer to:
Arts and media
* RAS Records Real Authentic Sound, a reggae record label
* Rundfunk Anstalt Südtirol, a south Tyrolese public broadcasting service
* Rás 1, an Icelandic radio station
* Rás 2, an Icelandic radio stati ...
(1997) and of
RARAN,
Doctor of Engineering
The Doctor of Engineering, or Engineering Doctorate, (abbreviated DEng, EngD, or Dr-Ing) is a degree awarded on the basis of advanced study and a practical project in the engineering and applied science for solving problems in the industry. In the ...
(1976), professor (1984) and Founder of the School of Explosive Fission Physics and Penetration Radiation Single Pulse Diagnostics.
Biography
Mikhaylov graduated with honors from
Moscow Engineering Physics Institute
National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) (russian: Национальный исследовательский ядерный университет "МИФИ" / НИЯУ МИФИ or ) is a technical un ...
(1952–1958) with a degree in Theoretical Nuclear Physics. After graduating from the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute in 1958, he entered the theoretical department of KB-11 (now RFNC –
VNIIEF
The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics (VNIIEF) (russian: Всероссийский научно-исследовательский институт экспериментальной физики) is a research inst ...
), where he achieved success in creating new models of nuclear and thermonuclear charges. He worked at VNIIEF until 1969.
In 1969–1988, he worked at the Research Institute of Impulse Technology (NIIIT), and was director since 1987. He earned his Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences degree in (1968). During this time he was also a lead negotiator during the
Joint Verification Experiment portion of the
Threshold Test Ban Treaty
The Treaty on the Limitation of Underground Nuclear Weapon Tests, also known as the Threshold Test Ban Treaty (TTBT), was signed in July 1974 by the United States and Soviet Union. It establishes a nuclear "threshold" by prohibiting nuclear tests ...
, successfully negotiating the procedure for ''Touchstone Kearsarge''.
Beginning in 1988, he was Deputy Minister of Medium Machine Building of the USSR for the nuclear weapons complex, then Deputy Minister of Atomic Energy and Industry of the USSR. He was RF Minister for Atomic Energy from 1992 to 1998, and a member of the
RF Security Council.
He was First Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for Atomic Energy from 1998 to 1999.
Mikhaylov was scientific director of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center – All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Experimental Physics (RFNC-VNIIEF) from 1992 to 2007. In 1999, he became director of the Institute for Strategic Stability.
He was a member of the Russian Pugwash Committee (since 2002, and since 2009 – member of the Presidium).
Mikhaylov died on June 25, 2011, at the age of 78.
[http://www.iss-atom.ru/pub/pub-148.htm "Rosatom Country." Viktor Mikhailov died.] He was buried at the Vagankovskoye cemetery in Moscow.
Awards
*
Order of the Badge of Honour
The Order of the Badge of Honour (russian: орден «Знак Почёта», orden "Znak Pochyota") was a civilian award of the Soviet Union.
It was established on 25 November 1935, and was conferred on citizens of the USSR for outstanding ...
(1962)
*
Lenin Prize Laureate (1967)
*
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour (russian: Орден Трудового Красного Знамени, translit=Orden Trudovogo Krasnogo Znameni) was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to th ...
(1974)
*
USSR State Prize
The USSR State Prize (russian: links=no, Государственная премия СССР, Gosudarstvennaya premiya SSSR) was the Soviet Union's state honor. It was established on 9 September 1966. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, t ...
(1982)
*
Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"
The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (russian: Орден «За заслуги перед Отечеством», ''Orden "Za zaslugi pered Otechestvom"'') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was instituted on 2 March 1994 by P ...
3rd class (1995)
*
State Prize of the Russian Federation
The State Prize of the Russian Federation, officially translated in Russia as Russian Federation National Award, is a state honorary prize established in 1992 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. In 2004 the rules for selection of laureates ...
(1997)
*
Order of Honor Order of Honor may refer to:
*Order of Honour (Armenia)
*Order of Honor (Belarus), established in 1995
* Order of Honor (Georgia)
*Order of Honour (Greece), an award that replaced the abolished Royal Order of George I in 1975
*Order of Honour (Moldo ...
(2005)
* Sholokhov International Prize in the field of literature and art (2009)
[For the book "Scorched in the struggle to create the nuclear shield of the Motherland."]
References
Further reading
*
External links
RAS profile Viktor Nikitovich Mikhaylov
Academician Mikhailov Viktor Nikitovich — 75 years!// RAS website, February 12, 2009
* https://web.archive.org/web/20081018201117/http://www.iss.niiit.ru/book-3/index.htm
* http://www.mathnet.ru/rus/person45862 Viktor Nikitovich Mikhaylov
* https://fas.org/nuke/guide/russia/agency/jptac010_l94001.htm Memoir
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mikhaylov, Viktor
Russian physicists
Rosatom
Full Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Scientists from Moscow
1934 births
2011 deaths
Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 3rd class
Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia)
Lenin Prize winners
Recipients of the USSR State Prize
State Prize of the Russian Federation laureates
Soviet physicists
Moscow Engineering Physics Institute alumni