Sergei Korolev

Sergei Korolev was a pioneering Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer, often referred to as the father of the Soviet space program. Born in 1907, he played a crucial role in launching the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space in 1961. Korolev's vision and expertise in rocketry enabled significant advancements in space exploration, including the development of the Sputnik satellite, the first artificial satellite. His work laid the foundation for subsequent space missions, and despite facing political challenges and imprisonment, he remained dedicated to advancing human spaceflight until his death in 1966.