January 28, 1969
Soyuz 10L, Soviet Union
Crew: Commander Alexei Leonov, Command Pilot Pavel Popovich
Leonov and Popovich are strapped into their seats on this N1 rocket that will send the first men to the Moon. The Americans have suffered significant setbacks in their own lunar program, and now after many months the USSR is ready to take the first step. The first satellite was Soviet. The first man in space was Soviet. The Soviets had been first in almost everything, and now, they would add one more to their list of Space Race successes: The first man on the Moon.
