The Soviet Space Program and International Collaboration during ...

This book explores the evolution of the Soviet space sector during the period of perestroika, presenting it as a revealing mirror of the broader political, economic, and social transformations that reshaped the late Soviet Union. It examines the dynamics behind the attempted transition from an authoritarian regime with a centralised economy to a democratic system and market-based economy, analysing the consequences of these profound shifts for the fabric of Soviet society. As the expansion of international scientific cooperation and the commercialisation of space infrastructure became central to changes in the field of cosmonautics, the book delves into the challenges of forging Soviet–European partnerships amid Cold War bloc divisions. It also traces the USSR’s initial steps into the emerging global market for space goods and services. At a time when space plays an increasingly vital role in our societies, economies, and foreign policy, this book is essential reading for scholars of international relations, history, and space studies. It makes a timely contribution to ongoing debates on science diplomacy and its influence on international relations and global geopolitics.

Olga Dubrovina is a historian specialising in international relations in space, with a particular focus on the foreign policy of the USSR and Russia. She is a lecturer in the history of international relations at the University of Milan, Italy, and a member of the History Committee of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). Olga has authored numerous essays on the history of international relations and Soviet foreign policy, including Space Politics in Cold War Central and Eastern Europe (2025), INTEGRAL Observatory: Rescue at All Costs (2023), Russia's Space Diplomacy: Why We Should Look Back to the Soviet Years (2022), and Scientists in the Soviet Aerospace Sector: Revealing a Complicated Co-Existence (2021).