Vostok and Voskhod programs
Vostok program was Soviet human space project to put humans into low Earth orbit. It took 6 missions to space in between 1961 and 1963. I will come back to the project separately.
Korabl-Sputnik 1, known also as Sputnik 4, variant 1P, was the first test flight of the Vostok program launched on May 15, 1960. A bug in the system pointed the capsule into wrong direction and instead of descending in went to higher orbit. Beside the scientific instruments and tasks, the spacecraft was also used to investigate the possibility of manned space flight. It had biological cabin with figurine of man. The descent module reentered the atmosphere on September 1, 1962. One piece was found in US on the street of Manitowoc in Wisconsin.
The next 6 launches were all of Vostok 1K design. All were equipped by the life supporting facilities. The launch on July 28, 1960 carried two dogs, which were killed by the explosion shortly after the launch. The next mission Korabl-Sputnik 2 carried also two dogs Belka and Strelka was launched on August 19, 1960. They were accompanied by a grey rabbit, 42 mice, two rats, flies and several plants and fungi. All of them seems to survive.
Korabl-Sputnik 3 was launched on December 1, 1960 carrying another two dogs Pchyolka and Mushka. Before the reentry after the 24 hours in space the engines burned shorter time which leaded entering atmosphere in different territory than Soviet territory and the spacecraft was self destructed.
The next Vostok 1K remained unnamed because it failed before it reached carrying another two dogs Kometa and Shulka. The emergency escape system was activated and both dogs were found alive.
Korabl-Sputnik 4 was launched on March 9, 1961. It carried this time only one dog Chernushka and figurine called Ivan Ivanovich, which had real spacesuit to test. The dog was accompanied by 80 mice, several guinea pigs. Additional mice and guinea pigs were within the figurine. After one orbit the module successfully reenter the atmosphere and the figurine was ejected. The dog and other small pets landed separately on the module by parachute. All pets were found alive.
Korabl-Sputnik 5 was launched on March 25, 1961 and it lasted one orbit, carrying one dog and again one figurine. That success was final and important flight before the manned space flight Vostok 1.
Vostok 1 first man in space: Yuri Gagarin 12 April 1961 (Yuri Gagarin)
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| Y. Gagarin and model of Vostok with the third stage |
The next 6 launches were all of Vostok 1K design. All were equipped by the life supporting facilities. The launch on July 28, 1960 carried two dogs, which were killed by the explosion shortly after the launch. The next mission Korabl-Sputnik 2 carried also two dogs Belka and Strelka was launched on August 19, 1960. They were accompanied by a grey rabbit, 42 mice, two rats, flies and several plants and fungi. All of them seems to survive.
Korabl-Sputnik 3 was launched on December 1, 1960 carrying another two dogs Pchyolka and Mushka. Before the reentry after the 24 hours in space the engines burned shorter time which leaded entering atmosphere in different territory than Soviet territory and the spacecraft was self destructed.
The next Vostok 1K remained unnamed because it failed before it reached carrying another two dogs Kometa and Shulka. The emergency escape system was activated and both dogs were found alive.
Korabl-Sputnik 4 was launched on March 9, 1961. It carried this time only one dog Chernushka and figurine called Ivan Ivanovich, which had real spacesuit to test. The dog was accompanied by 80 mice, several guinea pigs. Additional mice and guinea pigs were within the figurine. After one orbit the module successfully reenter the atmosphere and the figurine was ejected. The dog and other small pets landed separately on the module by parachute. All pets were found alive.
Korabl-Sputnik 5 was launched on March 25, 1961 and it lasted one orbit, carrying one dog and again one figurine. That success was final and important flight before the manned space flight Vostok 1.
Vostok 2 first manned mission lasting full day: Gherman Titov 6 August 1961
Vostok 3 first simultaneous flights of two spacecraft: Andriyan Nikolayev 11 August 1962
Vostok 4 first simultaneous flights of two spacecraft: Pavel Popovich 12 August 1962.
Vostok 5 longest solo orbital flight almost 5 days: Valery Bykovsky 14 June 1963
Vostok 6 first woman in space (I will come back soon to this): Valentyna Tereshkova 16 June 1963
Voskhod program was the second Soviet manned space project, which used recycled components from the cancelled program. The first launch was in 1964 and last in 1965 and has been as a result of political pressure. Soyuz was not ready after Vostok program for another 3 years.
Voskhod 1 was the first crew mission consisting of 3 cosmonauts.
Voskhod 2 consisted of 2 cosmonauts and they achieved the first spacewalk.
The program was more focused on beating the Gemini program, such as first multi manned crew or first EVA space walk. It was realized that the focus should be rather on prolonged time on the orbit. While the planned Voskhod 3 got delays, the program was left and was replaced by the Soyuz program.
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| A. Leonov: Voskhod 2 first EVA |
The program was more focused on beating the Gemini program, such as first multi manned crew or first EVA space walk. It was realized that the focus should be rather on prolonged time on the orbit. While the planned Voskhod 3 got delays, the program was left and was replaced by the Soyuz program.
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