# Leonid Sedov

_Russian physicist (1907-1999)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/leonid-sedov
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Leonid Ivanovich Sedov (Russian: Леонид Иванович Седов; 14 November 1907, Rostov-on-Don – 5 September 1999, Moscow) was a Russian physicist who worked as an engineer in the former Soviet space program.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 1 November 1907 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Rostov-on-Don ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P19))
- **Died:** 5 September 1999 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P570))
- **Place of death:** Moscow ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Russian Empire; Soviet Union ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P27))
- **Occupation:** physicist; university teacher; inventor ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P106))
- **Education:** Lomonosov Moscow State University; Rostov State University ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P69))
- **Positions held:** president (1959–1961) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P39))
- **Awards:** Order of the Badge of Honour; Order of the Red Banner of Labour; Order of Lenin; honorary doctor of the University of Poitiers; Hero of Socialist Labour; Commander of the Legion of Honour; Allan D. Emil Memorial Award; Yuri A. Gagarin Gold Medal; Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class; Stalin Prize; Knight of the Legion of Honour; Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin"; Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"; Medal "In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow"; VDNKh gold medal ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460#P166))

## About

In 1930 Sedov graduated from the Moscow State University, where he had been a student of Sergey Chaplygin, with the degree of Doctor of Physics and Mathematical Sciences. He later became a professor at the university.

During World War II, he devised the so-called Sedov Similarity Solution for a blast wave, now called Taylor–von Neumann–Sedov blast wave after three scientists who did that independently. In 1947 he was awarded the Chaplygin Prize.

He was the first chairman of the USSR Space Exploration program and broke first news of its existence in 1955. He was president of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) from 1959 to 1961. Until recently, it had been thought that Sedov was the principal engineer behind the Soviet Sputnik project.

## Questions

**When was Leonid Sedov born?**  
Leonid Sedov was born on 1 November 1907 in Rostov-on-Don.

**What positions has Leonid Sedov held?**  
Positions held by Leonid Sedov include: president (1959–1961).

**Where did Leonid Sedov study?**  
Leonid Sedov was educated at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Rostov State University.

## Related

- [Hosni Mubarak](https://diginpl.com/people/hosni-mubarak)
- [Gamal Abdel Nasser](https://diginpl.com/people/gamal-abdel-nasser)
- [Mohamed Morsi](https://diginpl.com/people/mohamed-morsi)
- [Mohamed Naguib](https://diginpl.com/people/mohamed-naguib)
- [Abdul Rahman Arif](https://diginpl.com/people/abdul-rahman-arif)
- [Muhammad Najib ar-Ruba'i](https://diginpl.com/people/muhammad-najib-ar-ruba-i)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Leonid Sedov](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonid_Sedov) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q1973460](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1973460) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Ruimtevaartcongres Amsterdam VU Werner Von Braun + Sedov) aangetast, Bestanddeelnr 909-8098.jpg by Wim van Rossem for Anefo (CC0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ruimtevaartcongres_Amsterdam_VU_Werner_Von_Braun_%2B_Sedov)_aangetast,_Bestanddeelnr_909-8098.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Leonid Sedov, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Ruimtevaartcongres Amsterdam VU Werner Von Braun + Sedov) aangetast, Bestanddeelnr 909-8098.jpg — Wim van Rossem for Anefo, CC0.

## Cite this page

"Leonid Sedov". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/leonid-sedov. Retrieved 5 November 2026.