History

Foundation of Aviation Institute

The Aviation Institute, which in 2015 became the heart of today’s Samara University, was opened in Samara (then known as Kuibyshev) in October 1942. By that time, the city had become the evacuation centre for roughly 30 aircraft industry enterprises and establishments. The large-scale production of the Ilyushin IL-2 ground-attack aircraft started. In its turn, the Kuibyshev Aviation Institute became the foundry for the engineers of these enterprises.

Start of training for space-rocket specialists

In the post-war years, Samara became the cradle of outer space exploration. It is here where the legendary “Vostok” rocket was manufactured. By means of that rocket the first ever man-in-space flight was made. Since 1957, KuAI has been training specialists of space-rocket equipment.

Establishment of Kuibyshev State University

In the mid-1960s, a group of professors from Samara universities and employees of scientific and research institutions developed proposals on the basis of which Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on establishing of the Kuibyshev State University was passed. September 1969 saw the opening of Samara (then Kuibyshev) State University (SamGU SSU).

"5-100" Project competition and spacecraft launches

Samara State Aerospace University (SSAU) was among the 15 first winners of the “5-100” Project competition. That was Russian initiative of academic excellence aimed at increasing the competitiveness of leading Russian universities among the world's leading research and educational centres. Based on the results of two competitions, 21 leading Russian universities participated in the Project.

On April 19, “Soyuz-2.1a” launch vehicle, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, put the “Aist” small spacecraft into orbit as one of the additional cargoes together with the “Bion-M No. 1” satellite.

On December 28, the new “Soyuz-2.1v” light-weight rocket delivered Volga launch unit to the orbit with the second “Aist” small spacecraft.

Samara University merger

The order of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia was issued, on the basis of which SSAU and SSU were merged in November.

Institution named Samara National Research University

On April 06, the united institute got its present name, Samara National Research University (abbreviated name – Samara University).Today, Samara is the home to all manner of modern space equipment. These are rocket engines, Earth satellites and the Soyuz launch vehicle family, the most reliable in the history of space exploration, that regularly carry the crews to the International Space Station.

Aist-2D & SamSat-218 launch from Vostochny

On April 28, at the first launch, the “Aist-2D” small spacecraft was put into orbit from the new Russian cosmodrome, the Vostochny Cosmodrome. It was created by the scientists of Samara University and engineers from the “Progress” space center centre. “SamSat-218”, a nanosatellite developed by Samara scientists and students, was put into orbit together with “Aist-2D”.

Joining the "Priority-2030" program

Based on the results of the federal competition the University joined the ranks of participants of the “Priority-2030” State Strategic Academic Leadership Program. The key element of the University program is the strategic University project called “Space for Life”. It is aimed at improving human living conditions and increasing human life environmental quality due to the effective widespread implementation of innovative space technologies.

Launch of the Advanced Engineering Aerospace School

In May, Samara University got the status of the basic university for the Russian rocket and space industry.

In June, it was among the country’s 30 universities that have won the federal competition for development of Advanced Engineering Schools in partnership with high-tech companies. The Advanced Engineering Aerospace School (AEAS) of the University was established in partnership with Progress Rocket-Space Centre JSC, United Engine Corporation-Kuznetsov PJSC, United Engine Corporation JSC, Aviacor-Aviation Plant JSC. The AEAS is aimed at forming training new engineering staff having who have broad competencies and profound knowledge of digital technologies and who are able to solve prospective tasks on transformation of the existing production facilities and creating new competitive products in the aerospace sector.

In August, the first Russian hyper spectrometer for nanosatellites developed at Samara University was put into orbit.

SamSat-ION nanosatellite launch

On June 27, the scientific nanosatellite “SamSat-ION” made at Samara University was put into the intended orbit from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.

Scientific spacecraft "Bion-M" No. 2 launch from the Baikonur

On August 20, the scientific spacecraft "Bion-M" No. 2 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Its biological payload included 75 mice, approximately 1,500 Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies), as well as fungi, bacteria, cellular tissues, and seeds of 25 rare plant species from the Samara Botanic Garden—some of which are descendants of seeds that had flown aboard the first "Bion-M" mission in 2013 and subsequently germinated successfully upon their return to Earth. The primary objective of the scientific program is to investigate the biological effects of microgravity and elevated levels of cosmic radiation on living organisms at systemic, organ, cellular, and molecular levels. The "Bion-M" No. 2 spacecraft was developed at the Progress Rocket and Space Centre in Samara, with a portion of its scientific instrumentation and equipment designed and manufactured at Samara University.