During it's 60 year history, the Soviet space program was responsible for a great number of accomplishments in space flight. Mankind's first ICBM, first satellite, first animal and human in space, first Earth orbit, first Moon impact and unmanned landing, first space station and first interplanetary probe. For propaganda value, failures and casualties were usually kept secret. Unlike the American Space program, the USSR's program was split between several competing design groups. The Soviet Space Program was dissolved in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union, with Russia and Ukraine becoming its immediate heirs. Music: Leftfield - 'Fanfare Of Life'. (less info)