Korolyov, Sergey

Korolyov, Sergey (Pavlovich)

(born Jan. 12, 1907, Zhitomir, Russia—died Jan. 14, 1966, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.) Soviet designer of guided missiles, rockets, and spacecraft. In 1933 he and F.A. Tsander launched the Soviet Union's first liquid-propellant rocket. During World War II Korolyov designed and tested liquid-fuel rocket boosters for military aircraft. After the war he improved the German V-2 missile and supervised test firing of captured missiles. His work led to the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). He directed systems engineering for Soviet launch vehicles and spacecraft, including design, testing, construction, and launching of manned and unmanned spacecraft, and was the guiding genius behind the Soviet spaceflight program.