Rocket and space engineering · Russia · 1907–1966

Sergei Korolev Life & Career Timeline

From prison engineer to the hidden architect of Sputnik and human spaceflight.

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19071916192519341943195219611966

SKSergei KorolevRocket and space engineering · Russia

1907Born in Zhytomyr12 January 1907 · Zhytomyr, Russian Empire

1917Moves to Odesa1917 · Odesa, Ukraine

1924Designs first glider1924 · Odesa, Soviet Union

1926Transfers to Moscow1926 · Moscow, Soviet Union

1929Pilots gliders1929 · Crimea, Soviet Union

1931Co-founds GIRD1931 · Moscow, Soviet Union

1933GIRD-09 launches17 August 1933 · Nakhabino, Soviet Union

1933Rocket institutes merge1933 · Moscow, Soviet Union

1938Arrested during Great Purge27 June 1938 · Moscow, Soviet Union

1939Imprisoned at Kolyma1939 · Kolyma, Soviet Union

1940Transferred to prison design bureau1940 · Moscow, Soviet Union

1946Named chief designer1946 · Kaliningrad, Soviet Union

1953R-7 intercontinental missile approved1953 · Soviet Union

1957R-7 succeeds21 August 1957 · Baikonur, Soviet Union

1957Sputnik 1 launches4 October 1957 · Baikonur, Soviet Union

1959Luna 3 photographs far side7 October 1959 · Moon

1961Yuri Gagarin orbits Earth12 April 1961 · Baikonur, Soviet Union

1966Dies in Moscow14 January 1966 · Moscow, Soviet Union

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About this timeline

About Sergei Korolev

Sergei Korolev led the Soviet design organisation behind the R-7, Sputnik, Luna probes and Yuri Gagarin’s first human orbit.

Page updated 2026-09-12

Choose any Moment on the timeline to read its story, see why it matters and continue to the original source. Connected Moments open the other person’s timeline.

This public timeline is created and maintained by Memmie Editorial Team.

Sergei Korolev biography

Sergei Korolev timeline: key events

Explore 18 documented Moments in chronological order. Read the dates, locations and source references below. Where available, additional context explains why a milestone matters.

12 January 1907Zhytomyr, Russian Empire

Born in Zhytomyr

Sergei Pavlovich Korolev was born in present-day Ukraine and raised partly by grandparents.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1917Odesa, Ukraine

Moves to Odesa

He became fascinated by aviation in a port city with active aircraft workshops.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1924Odesa, Soviet Union

Designs first glider

Korolev completed vocational training and designed the K-5 glider.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1926Moscow, Soviet Union

Transfers to Moscow

He entered Bauman Higher Technical School and studied aircraft design under Andrei Tupolev.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1929Crimea, Soviet Union

Pilots gliders

Korolev designed and flew high-performance gliders at national competitions.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1931Moscow, Soviet Union

Co-founds GIRD

The Group for the Study of Reactive Motion organised pioneering liquid-rocket work.

Source: www.nasa.gov

17 August 1933Nakhabino, Soviet Union

GIRD-09 launches

One of the first Soviet liquid-fuel rockets flew successfully.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1933Moscow, Soviet Union

Rocket institutes merge

GIRD and the Gas Dynamics Laboratory became the Reaction Scientific Research Institute.

Source: www.nasa.gov

27 June 1938Moscow, Soviet Union

Arrested during Great Purge

False accusations sent Korolev into the Soviet prison system.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1939Kolyma, Soviet Union

Imprisoned at Kolyma

Forced labour and illness permanently damaged his health.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1940Moscow, Soviet Union

Transferred to prison design bureau

Tupolev requested Korolev for aircraft work inside a sharashka.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1946Kaliningrad, Soviet Union

Named chief designer

After release and wartime rocket study, he led long-range ballistic-missile development.

Source: www.nasa.gov

1953Soviet Union

R-7 intercontinental missile approved

Korolev’s bureau began developing the powerful launcher that would enable the space age.

Source: www.nasa.gov

21 August 1957Baikonur, Soviet Union

R-7 succeeds

A successful full-range flight established the world’s first intercontinental ballistic missile.

Source: www.nasa.gov

4 October 1957Baikonur, Soviet Union

Sputnik 1 launches

Korolev’s R-7 placed the first artificial satellite into orbit.

Source: www.nasa.gov

7 October 1959Moon

Luna 3 photographs far side

A Soviet probe returned humanity’s first images of the Moon’s hidden hemisphere.

Source: www.nasa.gov

12 April 1961Baikonur, Soviet Union

Yuri Gagarin orbits Earth

Vostok 1 made the first human spaceflight under Korolev’s programme.

Source: www.nasa.gov

14 January 1966Moscow, Soviet Union

Dies in Moscow

Korolev died after surgery; his identity as chief designer was publicly revealed only afterward.

Source: www.nasa.gov

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This educational timeline is not endorsed by or affiliated with Sergei Korolev or their representatives. Event text is original editorial copy based on the linked sources.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor · Licence shown on source file

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About the Sergei Korolev timeline

Who is Sergei Korolev?

Sergei Korolev led the Soviet design organisation behind the R-7, Sputnik, Luna probes and Yuri Gagarin’s first human orbit.

How many moments are included?

This public timeline currently contains 18 sourced moments spanning 1907–1966.

Who maintains this timeline?

This public timeline is created and maintained by Memmie Editorial Team. Schools, clubs and cultural organisations can apply to become timeline partners.

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