Alexander Dmitrievich Zasyadko (Засядко, Александр Дмитриевич in Russian) (1779 — 5.27.5(6.8).1837), Russian gunner and specialist in rocketry, Lieutenant General (1829).

In 1797, Zasyadko graduated from Artillery and Engineering School. In 1799, he participated in the Italian campaign of the Russian army under the command of Aleksandr Suvorov, Russo-Turkish War of 1806_1812 and Patriotic War of 1812.

In 1815, Zasyadko began his work on creating military gunpowder rockets. He constructed rocket_launching platforms, which allowed to fire in salvos (6 rockets at a time), and gun-laying devices. Zasyadko elaborated a tactics for military use of rocket weaponry. In 1820, Zasyadko was appointed head of the Petersburg Armory, Okhtensky Powder Factory, pyrotechnic laboratory and the first Highest Atillery School in Russia. In 1827, Zasyadko was in charge of Artillery Headquarters of the Russian army and took part in the Russo_Turkish War of 1828-1829. He organized rocket production in a special rocket workshop and created the first rocket sub_unit in the Russian army.

In 1834, Zasyadko retired due to his illness. A crater on the dark side of the Moon bears Zasyadko's name.

Due to peculiarities of Russian alphabet and phonetics, the letter "d" in his last name is followed by a non-vocalized letter "Ь", referred to as the soft sign, which indicates that the preceding consonant is palatized. Therefore, his last name in Russian is spelled Засядько, as opposed to Засядко.