Apple TV+'s new series 'Star City' presents an alternate history where the Soviet Union wins the space race by landing a cosmonaut on the moon before the United States. The show, set in the 1960s and 1970s, focuses on the fictional Soviet space program and its secretive training facility, Star City, near Moscow.
According to verified sources, the series is not based on real events but uses historical context to craft a 'what-if' scenario. In reality, the US Apollo 11 mission successfully landed astronauts on the moon on July 20, 1969, while the Soviet lunar program faced setbacks, including the failure of its N1 rocket.
The show's creators have stated that 'Star City' aims to explore themes of ambition, secrecy, and the human cost of the space race, drawing on real Soviet space history, such as the achievements of Yuri Gagarin and the challenges of the Soviet space program. As of April 2026, Apple TV+ has not confirmed a second season.
