| Lavochkin | |
| Former Names: | OKB-301 |
| Type: | State-owned company |
| Foundation: | 1937 |
| Location: | Khimki, Moscow region, Russia |
| Num Employees: | 5000 |
| Industry: | Space industry Aerospace industry Defense industry |
| Products: | Spacecraft, space probes, satellites, aircraft, missiles, ballistic missiles |
| Parent: | Roscosmos[1] |
NPO Lavochkin (Russian: НПО Лавочкина, OKB-301,[2] also called Lavochkin Research and Production Association or shortly Lavochkin Association, LA) is a Russian aerospace company. It is a major player in the Russian space program, being the developer and manufacturer of the Fregat upper stage, as well as interplanetary probes such as Fobos-Grunt. As of 2015, it was headed by Sergei Lemeshevskii.[3] On 10 August 2017 the Lavochkin Association's Board of Directors appointed Vladimir Kolmykov Director General of the enterprise.
The company develops and manufactures spacecraft such as the Fregat rocket upper stages, satellites and interplanetary probes. It is a contractor for a number of military programs, such as the Oko early warning satellite, Prognoz and Araks programmes as well as the civilian program Kupon. One of the company's most notable projects was the participation in the failed Fobos-Grunt sample return mission.[4] NPO Lavochkin has also developed the Elektro–L series of new-generation weather satellites, as well as the Navigator standardised satellite platform, which will serve as the basis for several future Russian satellites.[5]
The company was founded in 1937 as OKB-301, a Soviet aircraft design bureau (OKB). The head designer was, supported by and Semyon Lavochkin. On October, 1945 Lavochkin was promoted for the head designer of the design bureau. The bureau gained distinction for its family of piston-engined fighter aircraft during World War II, and later shifted to missile and jet fighter designs. Following the death of the head designer, the OKB-301 succumbed to the growing power of Vladimir Chelomey and became OKB-52 Branch No. 3 on 18 December 1962.[6] Later, it turned to work on interplanetary probe designs for Luna sample return program, the Lunokhod program, Vega program, Phobos program, etc. The former OKB-301 became named NPO Lavochkin.
In January 2012, officials of Lavochkin faced administrative punishment for not taking into account of designing the computer system after the crash of Russia's Mars moon spacecraft Fobos-Grunt.[7]
The S. A. Lavochkin NGO has its own museum. It was founded on June 25, 1965. Museum address: 24 Leningradskaya str., Khimki, Moscow region, 141400. The visit is only subject to prior requests.[10]