The memoirs of Academician Boris Chertok, translated from the original Russian, provides a first-hand account of the Russian accomplishments in exploring space. Chertok began his career as an electrician in 1930 at an aviation factory near Moscow. Twenty-seven years later, he became deputy to the founding figure of the Soviet space program, the mysterious Chief DesignerÓ Sergey Korolev. Chertok's 60-year-long career & the many successes & failures of the Soviet space program constitute the core of his four-volume memoirs. In Vol. I, Chertok describes his early years as an engineer & ends with the mission to Germany after the end of World War II when the Soviets captured Nazi missile technology & expertise. Illustrations.