Today, January 25, Russian students celebrate Tatiana’s day or called in our country as Student’s Day. It was on this day in 1755 that Empress Elizaveta Petrovna signed a decree “On the establishment of Moscow University.” Since then, Saint Tatiana has been the patroness of all students, and January 25 is their “professional” holiday.
The rocket and space industry of the Russian Federation also has a tradition associated with this name. A few years ago, the story was told by Mikhail Fedorovich Shum, an honored tester of space technology, laureate of the State Prize, technical director of launches from the Baikonur and Plesetsk cosmodromes.
“On March 17, 1966, for the first time from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, a satellite on the Vostok-2M launch vehicle was launched into orbit. Shortly before the launch, an enamored conscript put on the rocket the name of his beloved – “Tanya.” The launch was successful, and the tradition at the cosmodrome took root: three hours before the launch of the rocket, on the stage of the carrier rocket covered with a thick layer of frost (the rocket is cooled by liquid oxygen, therefore hoarfrost keeps both in winter and in summer) in meter letters the name “Tanya” is displayed.
When the service trusses are pulled apart, the inscription on the rocket is clearly visible. The name on the rocket is displayed with a mitten – without it, the hand can be frostbitten – and one of the servicemen of the combat crew does this when preparing the rocket for launch. “
And for more than fifty years now, rockets with the name “Tanya” have been launched from Plesetsk: new generations of missilemen keep this wonderful tradition.