As the first nation to launch a satellite (Sputnik) and a man (Yuri Gagarin) into space, Russia has long prided itself on its space program. During the Olympic torch relay, Russia was the first country to send the torch into space aboard the International Space Station. Russia has sent more cosmonauts (the Russian term for astronaut) into space than any nation except the US, and the Russian Soyuz space capsule is currently the only method of transport for astronauts traveling to and from the ISS.
Dmitry Lovetsky / Ap
