Pioneers

Sergei Korolev

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Also Known As Sergei Pavlovich Korolev

Citation Formats

General Reference

Space and Astronomy Atlas. "Sergei Korolev." Accessed August 30, 2026. https://space.interactiveatlas.org/pioneers/sergei-korolev.

APA Style

Space and Astronomy Atlas. (n.d.). Sergei Korolev. Retrieved August 30, 2026, from https://space.interactiveatlas.org/pioneers/sergei-korolev

BibTeX

@misc{spaceandastronomyatlas-sergei-korolev,
  author = {Space and Astronomy Atlas},
  title = {Sergei Korolev},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://space.interactiveatlas.org/pioneers/sergei-korolev},
  note = {Accessed August 30, 2026}
}

The chief designer of the Soviet space program, whose identity was kept a state secret during his lifetime. He oversaw the launches of Sputnik 1 and Vostok 1, making the Soviet Union first into space and first to orbit a human, before dying during a routine surgery in 1966.

Facts

Birth Date

1907-01-12 1

Birth Year

1907 2

Death Date

1966-01-14 1

Death Year

1966 2

Nationality

Soviet 1

Defining Contribution

Chief designer behind Sputnik 1 and Vostok 1, the Soviet Union's first satellite and first crewed spaceflight 1

Notable Work

Chief Designer behind Sputnik 1 (1957) and Vostok 1 (1961) 2

Cross-Tradition Connections

Associated With

Roscosmos

Chief designer of the Soviet space program that Roscosmos institutionally succeeded; Korolev died in 1966, decades before Roscosmos was established in its modern form in 1992.

Source Encyclopedia Astronautica

Sputnik 1

Korolev was the Chief Designer who oversaw Sputnik 1's development and launch.

Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)

Vostok 1

Chief designer behind the Vostok spacecraft and program.

Source Encyclopedia Astronautica

Sources

1. Encyclopedia Astronautica

2. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)

Wikimedia FoundationSergei Korolev, Wikipedia - infobox (born)

Quote, Sergei Korolev, Wikipedia - infobox (born)