Sputnik To Mir: A Brief History Of The Soviet/Russian Space Program

10 Pages 2473 Words

Perhaps some of the most influential figures of the 20th century have not been eloquent politicians or powerful dictators. Indeed, they are scientists in search of technology to deliver humankind to the stars. In the Soviet Union, one name was synonymous with space exploration: Sergei Pavlovich Korolev. The father of the Soviet space program would go on to make these space records: first dog in orbit (Sputnik 2); first large scientific satellite (Sputnik 3); first man; first woman; first extra–vehicular walk; first craft to impact the Moon; first to orbit the Moon and photograph its back side; and finally, first to impact Venus. He would later design and launch the Soviet Union’s first communications satellite and first spy satellite, although not ahead of the US in these two feats.
During the time of the purges, Korolev spent time in the gulag system for alleged disloyalty to Stalin. He was later rescued by an old friend, the airplane designer Tupolev, whose sharaga was assigned to the design of rocket–assisted aircraft. It is possible that he put out a call for specialists, like Korolev, who could help him. In any case, Korolev was assigned to Tupolev’s sharaga and spent the war years working in various sharagas in Moscow and—when the Germans threatened that city—Omsk and Kazan.
Beginning in April 1945, the Soviets began to recover V–2 hardware, launch facilities, blueprints, and as many engineers and technicians as could be found. Because all of the launch and production facilities were in Soviet-controlled East Germany, the potential haul was huge. According to a CIA report, the institute, plus other rocket and guidance–related facilities in other parts of Germany, eventually numbered some 5,000 Germans. Korolev, on his return from Germany, was made chief designer of the R–1 missile, the Russian clone of the V–2.
In 1948, the visionary Mikhail Tikhonravov had made the case to Korolev for the dev...