Lot 336

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Description:

Soviet Space Program Designer, Sergei Korolev, Signed Photo, Rare!

Black and white Signed photograph of the founder of the Soviet space program, Sergei Korolev (1906-1966) standing on what looks like a pre-construction site in a steppe, likely in the vicinity of the Baikonur Rocket Launch Center in modern Kazakhstan. The 5" x 7.25" photo is signed and dated "July 1958" by Korolev on the upper left corner.

Korolev is widely regarded as the founder of the Soviet space program, an iconographic figure who was single-handedly responsible for the early Soviet victories in the space race. It is also important to point out that this photograph was taken at a crucial moment in the Soviet space program timeline. Less than a year earlier, Korolev had finally succeeded in getting the kinks out of the R-7 rocket design and launching the first Sputnik. The costly R-7 development on practical applications of the new technology, as well as a rocket capable of launching military reconnaissance satellites. Instead, Korolev had spent much of the year pushing for funding a manned flight project.

After bitter disputes, a compromise was finally reached in November 1858. Korolev was authorized to proceed with development of a spacecraft to achieve manned flights on condition the same spacecraft could be used to fulfill the military's unmanned reconnaissance satellite requirement. The new Vostok manned space program would put the first human being into space on April 12, 1961.

Korolev started as a gliders designer before getting involved with rocketry studies. In the 1930's he worked at GIRD (Group for Investigation of Reactive Motion), and at its successor RNII, where he designed the first Soviet rocket plane. (along with Nikolay Glushko, who gets the credit for designing engines for a wide range of Soviet military and space rockets. Before the project was finished both Glushko and Korolev were thrown into GULAG. They were saved from being sent to the Kolyma mines.

When Stalin expressed interest in German V2 technology, Korolev was sent to Germany to interview German engineers. Shortly after, he was appointed the Chief Designer of a newly formed research institute (later a Construction Bureau, OKB 1) tasked with building a V2 like ballistic missile. Korolev went on to work on the ICBM project (1953-7) that resulted in the R-7 breakthrough. Korolev was considered unique in the sense he was always "pushing the envelope" in space exploration.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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March 3, 2021 10:30 AM EST
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$100 $299 $20
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$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000