Grigor Gurzadyan
Space telescopes beyond the atmosphere
Grigor Gurzadyan was an Armenian astrophysicist and a pioneer of space astronomy, born in Baghdad in 1922. He combined engineering training in Armenia with astrophysical research and optical instrument design.
Under his leadership, the Orion 1 and Orion 2 space observatories were developed. They operated aboard Salyut 1 in 1971 and Soyuz 13 in 1973, respectively. Observing beyond the atmosphere made it possible to investigate ultraviolet radiation from stars and nebulae.
His career was closely connected with Byurakan and Garni. He also wrote theoretical studies of stars and nebulae. Gurzadyan died in 2014, leaving a legacy that joined theory, observation and the engineering of space instruments.