Named in honor of Victor S. Safronov {1917– } of the O. Yu. Shmidt Institute of Earth Physics in Moscow. Starting with Shmidt’s pioneering work from 1944 to 1960, Safronov developed a comprehensive theory of the origin of planetary bodies from the protoplanetary swarm. This work has well stood the tests of time and scrutiny by other scientists and it is the basis of most modern research on the origin of terrestrial and minor planets. (M 12808) _ _.