This famous, de-classified document officially started the Soviet atomic project aimed at producing the nuclear bomb. The second point of this document orders the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences to establish a plan for the project of Uranium enrichment. F. Lange, a scientist from the Ukraine Institute of Physics and Technology, was appointed as head of this project because he worked previously on theoretical aspects of Uranium enrichment.
February 1943
Report of Secretariat of Council of People’s Commissars of USSR to V.M. Molotov, 'About the Implementing of Decree No. 2352 cc of State Committee of Defence'
This document was made possible with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)
Справка секретариата СНК СССР В.М. Молотову
«О ходе выполнения Распоряжения ГКО
от 28 сентября 1942 r.»
Не позднее 11 февраля 1943 г.
Задание, возложенное решением ГОКО | Что сделано
|
1. Организовать при Академии наукспецлабораторию атомного ядра | Лаборатория атомного ядра ор ганизована в г. Казани на базе Физико-технического института акад[емика] Иоффе.Заведует лабораторией проф[ессор]Курчатов |
2. К 1 января в Институте радиологииразработать и изготовить установку длятермодиффузионного выделения урана-235 | Разработан лишь проект установки.Изготовить установку предполагают кконцу февраля. Оборудование для изготовления установкичастично подобрано и завезено |
3. К 1 марта 1943 г. изготовитьметодамицентрифугнрования и термодиффузииуран-235 в количестве, необходимом дляфизических исследований | К 1 марта выполнено не будет.Практические работы начнутся послеизготовления установки (см. п. 2) |
4. К 1 апреля 1943 г. произвести вЛаборатории атомного ядра исследованиеосуществимости расщепления ядер урана-235 | Практические работы начнутся лишьпосле того, как будут выполнены заданияГОКО по пп. 2, 3 |
5. Академии наук УССР (акад[емик]Богомолец) организовать под руководствомпроф[ессора] Ланге разработку проекталабораторной установки для выделенияурана-235 методом центрифугирования и к20 октября 1942 г. сдать техническийпроект Казанскому заводу «Серп и молот»НKTM | Проект установки разработан и сданзаводу «Серп и молот» вместо 20.Х лишьв серединедекабря м[еся]ца. Сейчас назаводе проводятсяподготовительныеработы по изготовлениюэтой установки.Установка вместо 1 января (какобусловлено в решении ГОКО) будетизготовлена заводом «Серп и молот» нераньше марта |
6. Наркомчермет и Наркомцветмет к1 ноября 1942 г. должны были выделить иотгрузить Академии наук ряд материалов, аНКстанкостроения выделитьдва токарных станка | Материалы и ставки не выделены повине Академии наук, не представившей внаркоматы заявки-спецификации |
Report of the Secretariat of Council of the People’s Commissars of USSR to V.M. Molotov “About Implementation of the Decree No. 2352 cc of the State Committee of Defence (SCD) dated 28 September 1942.” February 1943.
| Tasks set by the decision of the State Committee of Defence (SCD) |
| What is Completed |
| Creating a special nuclear atom laboratory at the Academy of Sciences |
| A nuclear atom laboratory has been built in Kazan on the base of Academician Ioffe’s Institute of Physics and Technology. The laboratory is managed by Professor Kurchatov |
| By 1 January, design and construction of an installation for thermal-diffusion separation of uranium-235 at the Institute of Radiology |
| Only the draft of the installation has been prepared. The installation construction is expected at the end of February. Equipment for constructing the installation has been partially picked up and delivered. |
| By 1 March 1943, it is necessary to separate uranium-235 using centrifuges and thermal diffusion. The quantity of separated uranium should be enough for conducting physical research. |
| By 1 March, this will not be accomplished. The practical work will start after constructing the plant (see 2nd point) |
| Before 1 April 1943, it is necessary to do research on the feasibility of Uranium-235 nuclear fission in the Nuclear Atom Laboratory |
| The practical work will start after SCD’s tasks (which are described in 2nd and 3rd points) are fulfilled |
| The Academy of Sciences of Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (academician Bogomolets) should develop under the direction of Professor Lange the project of the laboratory installation for uranium-235 separation in centrifuges. By 20 October, the technical project should be delivered to the Kazan facility “Sickle and Hammer” of the People's Commissariat of Heavy Engineering Industry |
| The project of installation had not been prepared for “Sickle and Hammer” facility by October 20th. It was prepared only in mid-December. Currently, pre-construction activities are taking place at the facility. The installation was not completed before 1 January as this SCD decision prescribed. The facility “Sickle and Hammer” will construct the plant through March |
| Before 1 November 1942, the People's Commissariat of Ferrous Metallurgy and the People's Commissariat of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy should deliver a number of materials, and the People's Commissariat of the Machine Tools should deliver two lathes |
| The materials and lathes were not delivered because the Academy of Sciences did not transmit special requests to the People’s Commissariats |
This report, sent from the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR to V.M. Molotov, informs Molotov that the project for Uranium enrichment was prepared by F. Lange and his colleagues by December, 1942. The installation of this project was planned to be produced outside of Ukraine, in a facility in Kasan.
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Related Documents
September 28, 1942 | Decree No. 2352 cc of Ukrainian State Committee of Defence |
Document Information
Source
Atomic Project of USSR: Documents and Materials, Vol. 1, Part 1, Document No. 147, p. 309. Obtained and translated for NPIHP by Oleksandr Cheban.
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2015-02-09
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Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY)