Soviet Space Program

Tech
A New Space Race? What China's Tiangong 1 Launch Means for NASA
China has launched Tiangong 1, a prototype for its proposed orbital space laboratory. While a successful mission will be a significant step forward for China, it’s unclear what (if anything) it will mean for NASA and the United States’ long-standing...
Amy Shira Teitel
9.29.11
Tech
The Handsome Stuff: How Yuri Gagarin was Selected to be the First Cosmonaut
If you've read Tom Wolfe’s canonical space history “The Right Stuff,” or seen the famous movie adaptation, you know something of the grueling selection process of America’s Mercury astronaut.
Amy Shira Teitel
6.15.11