As the chief engineer and driving force behind the Soviet space program, Sergei Korolev played a pivotal role in the USSR's achievements in space exploration. His leadership led to the launch of Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, in 1957, and the historic flight of Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, in 1961. These accomplishments were not only significant scientific achievements but also served as powerful propaganda tools, demonstrating Soviet superiority in the Space Race against the United States.

Known as the "father of the Soviet atomic bomb," Igor Kurchatov was a nuclear physicist who led the Soviet effort to develop nuclear weapons. His work culminated in the successful testing of the first Soviet atomic bomb in 1949, ending the United States' monopoly on nuclear weapons and significantly altering the balance of power during the Cold War. Kurchatov's contributions were central to the Soviet Union's strategy of nuclear deterrence, which became a cornerstone of its military policy.