1857-1935

Russian rocket scientist who was an early pioneer of space travel research. In the 1890s Tsiolkovsky developed Russia's first wind tunnel to test aircraft aerodynamics. His passion for the stars led him to try his hand at science fiction writing, and his stories of rocket ships eventually evolved into a study of the potential for space travel. Tsiolkovsky's research in aerodynamics led him to theorize about the challenges of using rocket engines in space, including navigation and fuel supply maintenance. His "Tsiolkovsky Formula" formed the basis of contemporary astronautics, and paved the way for space exploration.