12 January

Korolev was a Soviet designer of guided missiles, rockets, and spacecraft. He was one of the founders of the Moscow Group for the Study of Reactive Motion. In 1933, he participated in the Soviet Union's first launch of a liquid-propellant rocket.

After demonstrating his expertise in the modification of captured V2 rockets, Korolev directed the design, testing, construction, and launching of the Vostok spacecraft, and most of the USSR's other projects. Around 1958, Korolev argued for the pursuit of manned space flight instead of military reconnaissance satellites.

After much debate, the Vostok project was approved provided the launch vehicle could also be useful to the military.