The Most Famous
ENGINEERS from Ukraine
Top 9
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Ukrainian Engineers of all time. This list of famous Ukrainian Engineers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Sergei Korolev (1906 - 1966)
With an HPI of 70.33, Sergei Korolev is the most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 64 different languages on wikipedia.
Sergei Pavlovich Korolev (Russian: Сергей Павлович Королёв, romanized: Sergey Pavlovich Korolyov, IPA: [sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪtɕ kərɐˈlʲɵf] ; Ukrainian: Сергій Павлович Корольов, romanized: Serhii Pavlovych Koroliov, IPA: [serˈɦij ˈpɑu̯lowɪtʃ koroˈlʲɔu̯]; 12 January 1907 [O.S. 30 December 1906] – 14 January 1966) was the lead Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer during the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s. He invented the R-7 Rocket, Sputnik 1, and was involved in the launching of Laika, Sputnik 3, the first human-made object to make contact with another celestial body, Belka and Strelka, the first human being, Yuri Gagarin, into space, Voskhod 1, and the first person, Alexei Leonov, to conduct a spacewalk. Although Korolev trained as an aircraft designer, his greatest strengths proved to be in design integration, organization and strategic planning. Arrested on a false official charge as a "member of an anti-Soviet counter-revolutionary organization" (which would later be reduced to "saboteur of military technology"), he was imprisoned in 1938 for almost six years, including a few months in a Kolyma labour camp. Following his release he became a recognized rocket designer and the key figure in the development of the Soviet Intercontinental ballistic missile program. He later directed the Soviet space program and was made a Member of Soviet Academy of Sciences, overseeing the early successes of the Sputnik and Vostok projects including the first human Earth orbit mission by Yuri Gagarin on 12 April 1961. Korolev's unexpected death in 1966 interrupted implementation of his plans for a Soviet crewed Moon landing before the United States 1969 mission. Before his death he was officially identified only as Glavny Konstruktor (Главный Конструктор), or the Chief Designer, to protect him from possible Cold War assassination attempts by the United States. Even some of the cosmonauts who worked with him were unaware of his last name; he only went by Chief Designer. Only following his death in 1966 was his identity revealed and he received the appropriate public recognition as the driving force behind Soviet accomplishments in space exploration during and following the International Geophysical Year.
2. Valentin Glushko (1908 - 1989)
With an HPI of 59.63, Valentin Glushko is the 2nd most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 38 different languages.
Valentin Petrovich Glushko (Russian: Валенти́н Петро́вич Глушко́; Ukrainian: Валентин Петрович Глушко, romanized: Valentyn Petrovych Hlushko; born 2 September 1908 – 10 January 1989) was a Soviet engineer who was program manager of the Soviet space program from 1974 until 1989. Glushko served as a main designer of rocket engines in the Soviet program during the heights of the Space Race between United States and the Soviet Union, and was the proponent of cybernetics within the space program.
3. Yuri Kondratyuk (1897 - 1942)
With an HPI of 57.66, Yuri Kondratyuk is the 3rd most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 27 different languages.
Yuri Vasilyevich Kondratyuk (Russian: Ю́рий Васи́льевич Кондратю́к; Ukrainian: Ю́рій Васи́льович Кондратю́к; 21 June 1897 – February 1942), real name Aleksandr Ignatyevich Shargei (Russian: Алекса́ндр Игна́тьевич Шарге́й; Ukrainian: Олександр Гнатович Шаргей) was a Ukrainian engineer and mathematician in the Soviet Union. He was a pioneer of astronautics and spaceflight, a theoretician and a visionary who, in the early 20th century, developed the first known lunar orbit rendezvous (LOR), a key concept for landing and return spaceflight from Earth to the Moon. The LOR was later used for the plotting of the first actual human spaceflight to the Moon. Many other aspects of spaceflight and space exploration are covered in his works. Kondratyuk made his scientific discoveries in circumstances of war (including both World Wars and the Russian Civil War), continuous persecutions from authorities and serious illnesses. In fact, "Yuri Kondratyuk", the name under which he became known both in Russia and abroad, was a stolen identity he assumed in 1921 for his own protection.
4. Stephen Timoshenko (1878 - 1972)
With an HPI of 57.08, Stephen Timoshenko is the 4th most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 21 different languages.
Stepan Prokopovich Timoshenko (Ukrainian: Степан Прокопович Тимошенко, romanized: Stepan Prokopovych Tymoshenko; Russian: Степан Прокофьевич Тимошенко, romanized: Stepan Prokofyevich Timoshenko; December 22 [O.S. December 10] 1878 – May 29, 1972), later known as Stephen Timoshenko, was an ethnic Ukrainian, citizen of the Russian Empire and later, an American engineer and academician. He is considered to be the father of modern engineering mechanics. An inventor and one of the pioneering mechanical engineers at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. A founding member of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Timoshenko wrote seminal works in the areas of engineering mechanics, elasticity and strength of materials, many of which are still widely used today. Having started his scientific career in the Russian Empire, Timoshenko emigrated to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes during the Russian Civil War and then to the United States.
5. Borys Paton (1918 - 2020)
With an HPI of 54.95, Borys Paton is the 5th most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 27 different languages.
Borys Yevhenovych Paton (Ukrainian: Бори́с Євге́нович Пато́н, Russian: Борис Евгеньевич Патон; 27 November 1918 – 19 August 2020) was a Ukrainian scientist and a long-time chairman of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He was appointed to this post in 1962 and held it until his death. Paton, like his father Evgeny Paton, was famous for his works in electric welding.
6. Dmitry Dmitrievich Maksutov (1896 - 1964)
With an HPI of 51.94, Dmitry Dmitrievich Maksutov is the 6th most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.
Dmitry Dmitrievich Maksutov (Russian: Дми́трий Дми́триевич Максу́тов; 23 April [O.S. 11 April] 1896 – 12 August 1964) was a Soviet optical engineer and amateur astronomer. He is best known as the inventor of the Maksutov telescope.
7. Arkhip Lyulka (1908 - 1984)
With an HPI of 49.73, Arkhip Lyulka is the 7th most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 17 different languages.
Arkhyp Mykhailovych Lyulka (Ukrainian: Архип Михайлович Люлька; 23 March 1908 – 1 June 1984) was a Soviet scientist and designer of jet engines, head of the OKB Lyulka, member of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union.
8. Georgy Langemak (1898 - 1938)
With an HPI of 47.95, Georgy Langemak is the 8th most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Georgy Erikhovich Langemak (Russian: Георгий Эрихович Лангемак; 8 July [O.S. 26 June] 1898 – 11 January 1938) was a Soviet engineer in the Soviet space program, working on rocket design applications. He is chiefly remembered for being the co-designer and directing the development of the aircraft unguided rockets, such as the RS-82 and RS-132, which were modified to be used with such success in the Katyusha rocket launchers of World War II. The crater Langemak on the Moon is named in his honor.
9. Markus Reiner (1886 - 1976)
With an HPI of 46.88, Markus Reiner is the 9th most famous Ukrainian Engineer. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Markus Reiner (Hebrew: מרכוס ריינר, born 5 January 1886, died 25 April 1976) was an Israeli scientist and a major figure in rheology.
Pantheon has 9 people classified as engineers born between 1878 and 1918. Of these 9, none of them are still alive today. The most famous deceased engineers include Sergei Korolev, Valentin Glushko, and Yuri Kondratyuk. As of April 2022, 1 new engineers have been added to Pantheon including Georgy Langemak.
Deceased Engineers
Go to all Rankings
Sergei Korolev
1906 - 1966
HPI: 70.33
Valentin Glushko
1908 - 1989
HPI: 59.63
Yuri Kondratyuk
1897 - 1942
HPI: 57.66
Stephen Timoshenko
1878 - 1972
HPI: 57.08
Borys Paton
1918 - 2020
HPI: 54.95
Dmitry Dmitrievich Maksutov
1896 - 1964
HPI: 51.94
Arkhip Lyulka
1908 - 1984
HPI: 49.73
Georgy Langemak
1898 - 1938
HPI: 47.95
Markus Reiner
1886 - 1976
HPI: 46.88
Newly Added Engineers (2022)
Go to all RankingsWhich Engineers were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 8 most globally memorable Engineers since 1700.
