The book contains the main stages of life and activities of the pioneers of Russian cosmonautics, the founders of practical cosmonautics - academicians S.P. Korolev and M.V. Keldysh, as well as information about the members of the Academy of Sciences - the founders of domestic science and technology in the field of space exploration and development. The preparation and chronology of the flight of Yu.A. Gagarin into space. Information is presented on the activities of cosmonauts - researchers, on all detachments of cosmonauts and on cosmonauts who later became members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Information is given about the pilots - cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia, who made space flights by the time this book was published, about the heads of the cosmonaut training center, commanders of detachments and groups of cosmonauts. The publication is illustrated by documents from the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences and from other sources.