This comprehensive history of the Russian Soviet space programme, from its origins to the present, addresses the technical, political, historical, human and organisational issues and provides a balanced focus on manned and unmanned programmes. It is the first book to access the Russian space programme over the ten-year period since the fall of communism and provide an historical and contemporary treatment.

This book will be the first to be published specifically on the Russian space programme from its origins to the present day

Klappentext

Until the Apollo-Soyuz flight of 1972, the Russian Space Program was shrouded in such complete secrecy that only rumors of failures (or catastrophes) reached the West. This comprehensive history of the Russian Space Program, from its Sputnik origins to the privatized Mir Space Station, addresses the technical, political, historical, human, and organizational issues and provides a balanced focus on the manned and unmanned programs. It is the first book to assess the Russian Space Program including the 10-year period since the fall of communism.

Inhalt
Beginnings.- Sputnik.- Gagarin.- Race to the Moon.- Space Stations.- The Moon and the Planets.- Behind the Scenes.- Russia's Space Shuttle.- The Enduring achievement of MIR.- 2001 The Space Station.- The Russian Space programme in the 21st Century.