Mikhail Yangel (1911-1971) was a leading missile designer in the Soviet Union. His career started as an aviation engineer, after graduating from Moscow Aviation Institute in 1937. He worked with famous air craft designers Nikolai Polycarpov and later, Artem Mikoyan. Then he moved to the field of ballistic missiles, where he first was in charge of guidance systems. As Sergei Korolev’s associate, he set up a rocket propulsion center in Dniproperovsk in the Ukraine which later formed the basis of his own OKB-586 bureau in 1954. At first, Yangel’s facility served to mass-produce and further develop intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). His bureau designed the R-12 and R-16, whose launch vehicle adaptations are known as Cosmos and Tsyklon respectively. 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan (Արտյոմ Հովհաննեսի Միկոյան in Armenian; Артё́м Ива́нович Микоя́н in Russian) (August 5, 1905 – December 9, 1970) was an Armenian / Soviet aircraft designer, in partnership with Mikhail Iosifovich Gurevich he designed many of the famous MiG military aircraft. ... A guidance system is a device or group of devices used to navigate a ship, aircraft, missile, rocket, satellite, or other craft. ... Sergei Pavlovich Korolev (Серге́й Па́влович Королёв) (December 30, 1906– January 14, 1966) was the head Soviet rocket engineer and designer during the space race, known only as the chief designer during his lifetime. ... 1954 was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Minuteman III missile soars after a test launch. ... Dichlorodifluoromethane, or R-12, is a halomethane used as a refrigerant and propellant in aerosol sprays until its manufacture was discontinued due to concerns about damage to the ozone layer. ... An R-16 Missile The R-16 was the first successful ICBM deployed by the Soviet Union. ...