Sergey Pavlovich Korolyov graduated from the Bauman Technological Institute in Moscow and received his pilot's license in 1930. At Bauman he studied under Andrei Tupolev and read Tsiolkovsky and Tsander, kindling his interest in manned space flight. He was active in rocket study groups and participated in the launch of the first Soviet liquid-fueled rocket in 1933. After World War II, Korolyov directed the activities of the German V2 scientists working in the Soviet rocket program and achieved great success with the R-7 rocket. Korolyov's place in history was assured with his direction of the launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, on October 4th 1957. Confirmation of his genius came again on April 12th 1961, when another of his designs carried Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, into orbit around the Earth. The spacecraft was known as Object K, but it was called Vostok when it was used to carry Gagarin into space.
Inducted in 1990.
Portrait Location: Space Gallery