The founder of gravitational medicine, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Grigoriev died

“In manned astronautics, you have to believe in fate”

An outstanding scientist in the field of space biology and medicine, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Ivanovich Grigoriev died on February 11 after a severe and prolonged illness. He did not live to see his 80th birthday for almost a month.

He was not just the founder of gravitational physiology – he was one of those incorrigible romantics who believe in the inexhaustible potential of human capabilities, in our future flights to Mars.

Anatoly Ivanovich was the director of the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 20 years – from 1988 to 2008, then he was elected Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences. But despite the fact that every day he had to solve complex problems of the entire Academy, he did not forget his native IBMP, he often visited there, he could have a heart-to-heart talk with anyone. And why? Yes, because he himself started here as a junior researcher, he tested the methods of the emerging science of the future – space medicine, gravitational physiology: centrifugal rotation, hypokinesia, immersion (imitation of weightlessness). At the same time, all his life he studied the functions of the kidneys – something that is significantly affected in space, and therefore can affect the quality of the astronaut’s work. For example, the overload that an astronaut receives in flight leads to a redistribution of blood and disrupts the permeability of the kidney membranes.

Somehow I was lucky enough to interview Anatoly Ivanovich, and I asked him how the IBMP psychologists teach astronauts to live in harmony with each other in a confined space for many months? And he shared a technique that teaches you to develop a sincere feeling of gratitude for the enemy: “For this, you need to look at him from the other side and inspire yourself with the following: we are in the same boat with him, we are doing a common thing, my success depends on his success. . In other words, we bring high motivation, striving for the highest result to the forefront of relations. And who was sent to you by fate to complete the task – they don’t choose. ”

Anatoly Ivanovich made a major contribution to the solution of fundamental and applied problems of space biology and medicine, which made it possible to carry out the longest manned flights in the world of astronautics on orbital space stations. He is the author and co-author of more than 400 scientific publications, including 13 collective monographs. He received more than 70 patents and copyright certificates for inventions. For his great contribution to science, Anatoly Ivanovich was awarded the title of laureate of the State Prizes of the USSR and the Russian Federation, two Prizes of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of science and technology. A.I. Grigoriev is a holder of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II, III and IV degrees, the Order of the Badge of Honor, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor and a number of other government awards of the USSR, Russia and other states.

Several striking features of Anatoly Grigoriev.

– He believed in fate: “In manned astronautics, you have to believe.”

– I thought that some people condemn astronauts in vain for the icons that they take with them on a flight: “How can we, “earthly” inhabitants, condemn astronauts for this ?!”

– He had a dog in his house, a “fuck” named Kidney.