Korolev : how one man masterminded the Soviet drive to beat America to the moon

How One Man Masterminded the Soviet Drive Beat America to the Moon. "Fascinating . . . packed with technical and historical detail for the space expert and enthusiast alike . . . Great stuff!"-New Scientist "In this exceptional book, James Harford pieces together a most compelling and well-written tale. . . . Must reading."-Space News. "Through masterful research and an engaging narrative style, James Harford gives the world its first in-depth look at the man who should rightly be called the father of the Soviet space program."-Norman R. Augustine, CEO, Lockheed Martin. "In Korolev, James Harford has written a masterly biography of this enigmatic 'Chief Designer' whose role the Soviets kept secret for fear that Western agents might 'get at' him."-Daily Telegraph. "Harford's fluency in Russian and his intimate knowledge of space technology give us insights that few, if any, Americans and Russians have had into this dark history of Soviet space."-Dr. Herbert Friedman, Chief Scientist, Hulburt Center for Space Research Naval Research Laboratory. "Reveals the complex, driven personality of a man who, despite unjust imprisonment in the Gulag, toiled tirelessly for the Soviet military industrial complex. . . . More than just a biography, this is also a history of the Soviet space program at the height of the Cold War. . . . Highly recommended."-Library Journal. "For decades the identity of the Russian Chief Designer who shocked the world with the launching of the first Sputnik was one of the Soviet Union's best-kept secrets. This book tells vividly the story of that man, Sergei Korolev, in remarkable detail, with many facts and anecdotes previously unavailable to the West."-Sergei Khrushchev, Visiting Senior Fellow, Center for Foreign Policy Development.

How One Man Masterminded the Soviet Drive Beat America to the Moon.

"Fascinating . . . packed with technical and historical detail for the space expert and enthusiast alike . . . Great stuff!"-New Scientist

"In this exceptional book, James Harford pieces together a most compelling and well-written tale. . . . Must reading."-Space News.

"Through masterful research and an engaging narrative style, James Harford gives the world its first in-depth look at the man who should rightly be called the father of the Soviet space program."-Norman R. Augustine, CEO, Lockheed Martin.

"In Korolev, James Harford has written a masterly biography of this enigmatic 'Chief Designer' whose role the Soviets kept secret for fear that Western agents might 'get at' him."-Daily Telegraph.

"Harford's fluency in Russian and his intimate knowledge of space technology give us insights that few, if any, Americans and Russians have had into this dark history of Soviet space."-Dr. Herbert Friedman, Chief Scientist, Hulburt Center for Space Research Naval Research Laboratory.

"Reveals the complex, driven personality of a man who, despite unjust imprisonment in the Gulag, toiled tirelessly for the Soviet military industrial complex. . . . More than just a biography, this is also a history of the Soviet space program at the height of the Cold War. . . . Highly recommended."-Library Journal.

"For decades the identity of the Russian Chief Designer who shocked the world with the launching of the first Sputnik was one of the Soviet Union's best-kept secrets. This book tells vividly the story of that man, Sergei Korolev, in remarkable detail, with many factsand anecdotes previously unavailable to the West."-Sergei Khrushchev, Visiting Senior Fellow, Center for Foreign Policy Development.

Christopher C. Kraft Jr.

Avid space enthusiasts will find this story a necessary addition to their knowledge . . . of space exploration.

A Mysterious Figure, Virtually Unknown Even In His Own Country, Sergei Pavlovich Korolev Masterminded Not Only The Historic Launch Of Sputnik And The First Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, But Yuri Gagarin's Epochal Space Flight, And, Ultimately, The Soviet Attempt To Beat America To The Moon. Who Was Korolev? Where Did He Come From? Why Is So Little Known About Him? In This Groundbreaking New Book, James Harford Uncovers The Extraordinary Story Of One Of The True Pioneers Of The Space Program. Based On Extensive Interviews With And Memoirs Of Participating Engineers And Scientists, As Well As Family And Friends, Korolev Affords A Rare Glimpse Into The Inner Circles Of A World Often Cloaked In Secrecy And Intrigue. Spanning The Decades From The 1930s To The 1960s, This Is A Beautifully Detailed Blend Of Biography And Recent History, Chronicling The Remarkable Rise Of One Man From Imprisonment In A Soviet Gulag On Trumped Up Charges To Lead His Nation's Space Program. It Is A Compelling True Tale Of Triumph In The Face Of A Repressive Regime, And Of Achievement Against The Odds Of Limited Resources And Inferior Technology. James Harford. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 372-376) And Index. In the late 1950s and early 1960s when the West was stunned by the space accomplishments of the Soviet Union, the identity of their "Chief Designer" was a state secret in keeping with the tradition of Russian national secrecy. It was not until his death at age 59 that the name of Sergei Korolev was revealed to the world for posthumous honor by his government. Through interviews with family members and former colleagues, Harford, executive director-emeritus, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, reveals the complex, driven personality of a man who, despite unjust imprisonment in the Gulag, toiled tirelessly for the Soviet military industrial complex. Harford clearly demonstrates that Korolev was literally the indispensable man behind the Soviet space program whose untimely death hobbled the Soviet effort to land men on the moon. More than just a biography, this is also history of the Soviet space program at the height of the Cold War Providing a history of the Soviet space programme from the 1930s to the 1970s, this work focuses on Sergei Korolev, the man who built the programme, started the "space race", and dominated the programme until his death in 1966. A history of a virtually unknown genius and a team of gifted engineers who propelled the Soviet space program towards one of the 20th century's most astounding technological developments