A Gritty, High-Stakes Drama: Exploring the Soviet Space Program in Star City

Apple TV+ is taking us back to the late 1960s with Star City, a new spin-off from the popular alternate-history space drama For All Mankind. While For All Mankind has charted the ambitious American space race, venturing to Mars and even Saturn with its signature decade-long time jumps, Star City zeroes in on the often-overlooked Soviet side of the space race. The creators, Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi, felt there was a wealth of untold stories from the Soviet cosmonaut training center.

A Different Kind of Space Race

"The important thing was that this felt like its own show, not just a companion piece to For All Mankind," explained Nedivi. And indeed, Star City carves out its own identity. It features mostly new characters, a distinct setting, and a tone that feels worlds apart from its predecessor. While For All Mankind showcases futuristic, albeit grounded, sci-fi tech like Mars colonies, Star City embraces a more primitive and realistic portrayal of Soviet spacecraft, emphasizing the precariousness of their missions.

Rhys Ifans (known for House of the Dragon) stars as the enigmatic "Chief Designer," the man orchestrating the Soviet Union's lunar and interplanetary ambitions. His driving force is to reach the Moon, Venus, and beyond, a goal constantly challenged by the rigid constraints of the Soviet state. Ifans highlighted the moral and ethical tightrope the Chief Designer walks, constantly deciding "what to jettison" to achieve his objectives.

"The real Chief Designer [Sergei Korolev] was sent to the Gulag earlier in his life for basically no reason, and spent almost a decade there," says Wolpert. This background imbues the character with a profound understanding of the consequences of failure and the risks of defying the system. The show aims to explore the complex character who, despite past persecution, relentlessly pursues his dream of advancing humanity.

The Peril of the Earthbound

Ifans pointed out that the danger isn't confined to the cosmonauts in orbit. The Chief Designer, though earthbound, faces his own existential threats. "In the same way that each and every one of the cosmonauts knows that when they get into a capsule of a space vessel, there's a high chance that they'll die, the Chief Designer knows that without even getting in one of those things, there's a high possibility that he'll die on the job," he explained. This internalized risk grants him a unique, almost macabre, courage.

Setting Sights on Venus

While For All Mankind has focused primarily on the Moon and Mars, Star City is set to explore the Soviets' intense fascination with Venus. "One of the things that popped out at us and honestly shocked us was that there was a very robust 'Venera' -- the Venus space program for the Soviets," Nedivi revealed. The Soviets were actively sending probes to Venus as early as the 1950s, and astonishingly, the only images we have from the surface of Venus are from these Soviet missions.

This historical obsession with Venus provides fertile ground for Star City's narrative. The planet's extreme uninhabitability compared to Mars or the Moon makes it a perfect, dangerous frontier for the Soviets to pursue, adding an exciting goal for the season.

A Different Approach to Risk

The creators also delved into the Soviet space program's often improvisational and high-risk approach. Unlike NASA's more methodical style, the Soviet program sometimes seemed to prioritize speed and ambition over meticulous planning, particularly regarding human life. The source material hints at incredibly dangerous missions, including one where cosmonauts were reportedly launched without spacesuits as a desperate measure to meet deadlines.

Context:

The Soviet space program, while achieving monumental firsts like the first satellite (Sputnik) and the first human in space (Yuri Gagarin), was often shrouded in secrecy. Historical accounts suggest a highly competitive and often perilous environment for its cosmonauts and engineers. The pressure to outperform the United States meant that risks were frequently taken, and failures were often covered up, leading to a stark contrast with the more transparent (though still highly competitive) approach of NASA. The historical figure of Sergei Korolev, the Chief Designer, is a testament to this duality – a brilliant mind who suffered greatly under the Soviet regime yet continued to lead the nation's space efforts.

What this means for you:

If you're a fan of For All Mankind, Star City offers a compelling new perspective that enriches the entire universe. You'll get a grittier, more intense look at the human cost and political pressures behind the space race. For those new to the franchise, it's a fascinating dive into a less-explored aspect of space exploration history, showcasing the sheer audacity and danger involved in the early days of space travel. Expect thrilling missions, complex characters, and a stark reminder of how different the Soviet approach was.

What's still unclear:

While the focus on Venus is confirmed, the specific details of the missions to the planet remain a mystery. The extent to which the show will dramatize the rumored extremely high-risk, low-resource missions (like launching without spacesuits) is also unclear. Furthermore, the ultimate fate of the Chief Designer and his team within the narrative arc of the season is yet to be revealed.

Why this matters:

Star City illuminates the unsung heroes and perilous realities of the Soviet space program. The series provides a vital, alternative narrative to the often US-centric view of the space race, highlighting the immense ingenuity and courage demanded by the Soviet effort, even under extreme duress. It's a powerful reminder that history's greatest achievements often come with the heaviest price.