GTU Scientist, Academician, Major General Elguja Medzmariashvili, Presented a Report at the National Academy of Sciences

General Designer of the Institute of Structures, Special Systems and Engineering Support of the Georgian Technical University, academician of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Military Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Major General Elguja Medzmariashvili presented a report at the meeting of the Presidium of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences – “Development of Space Technology and Military-Engineering, Scientific-Technical and Technological Fields in Georgia”.

In the report, the scientist discussed the main directions of his research activities: space and ground-based special-purpose and military-engineering structures and complexes; Theory of Transformable Engineering Systems – Engineering Training for the Defense of the Territory of Georgia, Military-Engineering Support of Combat Operations, and Military Theory.

As the rector of the Georgian Technical University notes, Elguja Medzmariashvili’s report focused on the prospects for strengthening the country’s defense capabilities, introducing modern technologies, and developing space technology. According to Academician David Gurgenidze, the scientist emphasized the important role played by both engineering training in the defense of Georgia’s territory and other areas in strengthening the national security system and enhancing the country’s scientific and technical potential.

According to the rector, Elguja Medzmariashvili is among those rare scientists whose work equally combines fundamental science, engineering practice, and the strategic interests of the country’s defense. According to him, Medzmariashvili’s research in the field of space technology is not only part of technological progress, but also responds to tasks of national importance.

“The scientific heritage of Academician Elguja Medzmariashvili is of particular importance in the development of space and special-purpose systems. The concepts and engineering approaches developed by him create a solid theoretical and practical foundation for the gradual development of space technologies in Georgia. This is a field that determines the technological independence of the state, the quality of security, and international competitiveness. One of the most significant aspects of Elguja Medzmariashvili’s activities is the development of the theory of transformable engineering systems, which is an important component of modern military-engineering thinking and is directly related to the engineering preparation of the country’s territory, the protection of critical infrastructure, and the operational response to emergency situations.

Today, when the security environment is dynamically changing, and technological challenges are becoming increasingly complex, a scientific school that combines military theory, engineering support, and high technologies, takes on special significance. Elguja Medzmariashvili has formed and developed just such a scientific direction,” says David Gurgenidze.

According to the rector, Elguja Medzmariashvili’s work goes beyond the scope of individual research and acquires institutional and state significance. The scientific school he established is raising a new generation of young researchers who are involved in the research and practical implementation of both space technology and military engineering and special systems.

“The Georgian Technical University is proud that a scientist whose works and initiatives are directly related to strengthening the country’s security is working in its academic space. The development of space technology, the creation of special-purpose facilities and systems, and the deepening of the scientific foundations of military-engineering support are the strategic directions that determine the future of Georgia as a technologically developed and secure state,” notes David Gurgenidze.

According to the rector, the Georgian Technical University will continue to actively support research and technological projects aimed at developing space technology, strengthening defense capabilities, and strengthening the national scientific potential.

For information, based on the scientific and design concept of Elguja Medzmariashvili, by the decision of the Military-Industrial Commission, a unique test stand complex for the construction of space structures and full-scale tests was built in Georgia, in Saguramo, and a test range for above-ground transformable structures in extreme conditions was built in the mountainous zone of the Borjomi district. The most significant work carried out by Elguja Medzmariashvili is the first Georgian space object, “Reflector”, which was successfully deployed in open space, on an orbital station, on July 23-28, 1999, was tested, and after that, continued its movement in an independent orbit around the Earth. In Georgia, July 23rd, to commemorate an event of special national importance in the history of Georgia, was established as the “Day of the First Georgian Space Object”. In addition, the launch of the object into space and its successful test in orbit, as a fact and event, is included in the list of historical chronicles of cosmonautics; Georgia issued postage stamps in connection with this event.

It is worth noting the following projects created by Major General Elguja Medzmariashvili: a mobile, quickly deployable 48-meter-long military bridge for defensive purposes and extreme conditions; a three-dimensional military-engineering map of Georgia; catalogs of the territory of Georgia and military-engineering facilities located on it; state, military-engineering, and targeted programs; a digital data bank of high-precision space imagery of special areas, and others. The scientific and technological work carried out under the leadership and direct participation of Elguja Medzmariashvili for companies and organizations in 1995-2025 is of particular note: Daimler Bens Aerospace – Germany, Alenia Aerospazio – Italy, Technical University of Munich, European Space Agency – ESA and EOS Data Analytics – USA under contracts, including the winning project in the European Space Agency tender (2001) to create a new generation of large-sized deployable space European reflector antennas.

Based on Elguja Medzmariashvili’s scientific work, a new discipline, “Transformable Structures”, was created, which has been taught as a main subject in the Master’s degree program of the Georgian Technical University since 2009. In 2011, he was the first in Georgia to launch a doctoral program in military science at the Georgian Technical University. Since 2016, Elguja Medzmariashvili has also been the editor of the military journal “Military Science. Georgia”, founded by the Georgian National Academy of Sciences.