Vintage Soviet science and space illustration

This site collects vintage Soviet space and science illustrations; most appear to come from old children's books. They're eerily similar to American illos from the same era -- both empires believing that they were rocketing to a space-age, hypermodernist, Tomorrowland/Rollerball future.

Russian Science Illustrations from the 60's and 70's (Thanks, Shopsinc!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: soviet

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Anonymous

Looks like MagLev. And the lower monorail is sporting an American Airlines livery.
- Zoman
  
  Actually it looks like a MagLev in reverse. Magnetic suspension?
Drabula

Oh yeah, that’s some serious Ð½Ð°ÑŽÑ‡Ð½Ñ‹Ð¹ pr0n!
jphilby

Despite everything, very optimistic times those.

Unfortunately, the leadership of both countries had something a little more Vader in mind.
- capl
  
  “Vader” like this Soviet poster?
  http://capl.washjeff.edu/browseresults.php?langID=18&photoID=174&size=l
DieFem

Awesome. A clear reflection of a romantic epoch driven by ideals. Evil or not, distorted or not, but ideals.
Pantograph

Three words: Jet Powered Train.
halfacre

Thanks, Cory for making my day. I would visit the city by the sea, if it existed, especially if they parked a sliced-up iceberg nearby. The iceberg could surely be used to chill freshly sucked-up schools of fish. The future used to be great.

Not quite sure what’s happening to the whale on p3, but it’s probably not good.
Anonymous

Knowing what happens on a cruise ship when the power goes out, I think we were fortunate nobody tried to build a giant floating city stuffed full of people… it would have quickly turned to a stinking, festering, disease-ridden, crumbling, sinking mess.