Editor-in-chief

Oleg Mikhailovich Alifanov

Editor-in-chief of the «Thermal Processes in Technology» journal

Place of work, position

Head of the Department 601 «Space Systems and Rocket Engineering» of the Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

E-mail: o.alifanov@yandex.ru

Scientific interests

Reverse problems of heat exchange, thermal design, methods for mathematical models identification, thermal protection systems

Scientific achievements

O.M. Alifanov has founded a new scientific school, based on the principally new approach, namely methods of reverse problems, which are of utter importance for diagnostics, modeling and control of the heat exchange processes, design and try-out of thermally loaded structures of flying vehicles. Theory and methodology of the reverse heat transfer problems solution developed by O.M. Alifanov gained worldwide recognition, and has formed into an independent, rapidly developing field of scientific research and numerous practical applications in Russia and other countries. This theoretical basis allowed creating original experimental installations for studying and try-out of thermal and thermo-mechanical models of structures, realizing new effective principles of diagnostics, techniques for aero-thermodynamic and thermal tests, as well as developing new control methods for thermal modes and experiment automation. Methods and technical means developed by O.M. Alifanov, including their conversional forms, found wide application at 25 industrial organizations, and employed in particular while designing and testing of «N-1» and «Energia» launching vehicles, a number of combat missiles, «Meteor-2» and «Mars-96»; «Buran» aero-space vehicle, as well as while creating composite materials an structures, including flexible inflatable shells for space vehicles re-entry. O.M. Alifanov is the head of collective scientific research at the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, Roscosmos, and Moscow Aviation Institute. For 45 years he has been actively teaching at the Moscow Aviation Institute, for 27 years he has been the head of department 601 «Space Systems and Rocket Engineering», he has developed a number of new courses, including lectures on the aircraft design and try-out. He gives courses on the spacecraft thermal design and modeling of spacecraft functioning processes. O.M. Alifanov is the author (co-author) of more than 400 scientific works, including 14 books, three encyclopedias and 41 patents. O.M. Alifanov is the Chairman of the Expert Council of the Higher Attestation Commission, the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Doctoral Dissertation Council, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Council on Space, the Presidium of the Scientific and Technical Council of the Roscosmos State Corporation, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky, member of the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Astronautics. Among the students of O.M. Alifanov are 8 doctors of science and 16 candidates of science.

Awards and prizes

USSR State Prize (1984) for developing the methods for studying thermal modes;
Prize of the President of the Russian Federation in the field of education (2002);
Yuri Gagarin Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of space activities (2011);
Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation (2001);
Medals and insignia of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, the Ministry of Defense of Russia, Roscosmos.

International awards

F. Malina Medal of the International Astronautical Federation (1992) for achievements in the field of education and science;
Award of the International Academy of Astronautics (2004) for achievements in engineering sciences;
Certificate of honor of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (2004) — for the development of international cooperation and contribution to the theory of heat and mass transfer;
The highest award of the International Astronautical Federation — the A.D. Emil Prize (2006) — for contribution to cosmonautics and international cooperation;
Academician A.V. Lykov Award and Medal of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (2007) for his contribution to the research of two-phase heat transfer;
Diploma of European quality and Gold Medal of the European Chamber of Science and Industry (2013) for creation of a theoretical base, on which basis original experimental installations for the studying and testing thermal modes of structures were developed, new effective diagnostic principles, methods of aero-thermodynamic and thermal tests were implemented).

Participation in editorial boards and editorial councils of scientific journals

«Thermal Processes in Engineering» (editor-in-chief);
«MAI Aerospace Journal» (editor-in-chief);
«Jerald of Lavochkin Scientific-Production Association»;
All-Russian scientific and technical journal «Flight»;
Scientific journal «Aerospace Instrumentation»;
International scientific and technical journal «Problems of Mechanical engineering and Automation»;
International «Engineering- Physics Journal» (published in Belorussia);
Inverse Problems in Sciences and Engineering (published in the USA);
Space Policy (published in Great Britain);
Computational and Applied Mathematics (Published in Brazil).

Membership in National Councils and International Comities

Interdepartmental Council for awarding prizes of the head of the Russian Federation in the field of science and technology;
Council for Grants of the President of the Russian Federation for State support of young Russian scientists and for State support of leading scientific schools of the Russian Federation;
Council of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research «Fundamentals of Engineering Sciences»;
Program Committee of the International Astronautic Congress (annually);
International conference «Inverse problems: identification, design and control» (every four years, conference chairman, program committee);
Minsk International Forum on thermal- and mass transfer (every four years, program committee);
International conference on reverse problems in the field of engineering: theory and practice (every four years, program committee);
International Aviation-and-Space Congress (each three years);
International Aviation-and-Space Congress (each three years);
«Spacecraft Materials and Structures» Committee of the International Astronautics Congress;
Awards and Prizes Committee of the International Astronautics Congress;
History Advisory Committee of International Astronautics Federation/International Academy of Astronautics/ International Institute of Space Law;
«Space and Society» and «Space Resources» Commission of the International Academy of Astronautics;
Chairman of the International Competition for Innovative Works of Young Researchers «Flight to the Future» for the Robert and Virginia Heinlein Foundation Prize, member of the international competition jury;
International public organization «space week» at the United Nations;
National Committee on heat- and mass transfer of RAS.

Membership in professional organizations and scientific societies

Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky;
Full member of the International Academy of Astronautics (Paris, France);
Member of the Committee of Advisors of the International Space University (Strasbourg, France).

From 2000 to 2002 O.M. Alifanov was vice-president of the International Astronautical Federation, in 2005–2009. — Member of the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Astronautics.

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