![]() It was on Octowhen the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, which became the catalyst for propelling the existing Cold War rivalry between the Soviet Union and the United States.Vostok 1 was developed to eject the cosmonaut at approximately 7 km, allowing the crew to return to earth with the use of a parachute.The cabin, as seen in the picture above, was attached to a service module that carried chemical batteries, orientation rockets, main retro system, and added support equipment for the total system.Unlike the succeeding vehicles, Vostok 1 was not designed to land with a human still on board, so Gagarin had to eject before reaching ground, at an altitude of around four miles.The spacecraft consisted of three small portholes, external radio antennas, radios as life support system, and an ejection seat.Because of concerns of adverse reactions due to weightlessness of the crew, the manual controls of the spacecraft were locked prior to launch and were controlled by ground personnel. This assured comfort for its one-man crew no matter what the orientation would be. The Vostok 1 spacecraft consisted of a nearly spherical cabin covered with ablative material that was designed to eliminate changes in center of gravity.Gagarin became a cultural hero of the Soviet Union that even today, more than six decades after, he is widely celebrated in Russian space museums, with numerous artifacts, busts, and statues displayed in his honor. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |