Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Voskhod 1 (USSR) launched 1964 - Safety, Schmafety!

Crew of Voskhod 1

October 12, 1964, the Soviets, in an all-out panic because the U.S. was about to launch their Gemini program, rushed three men into space.  Aboard the Voskhod 1 were Commander Vladimir Komarov, Engineer Konstantin Feoktistov and Medical Doctor Boris Yegorov.  It was the first space flight with more than one crewman and the first without space suits!

The trio was chosen mainly for political reasons and were given only 3 to 4 months of training.  The space capsule could hold two cosmonauts in space suits or three without.  Guess which one the Soviets opted for?  In order to stay ahead of the Americans, three cosmonauts were crammed into spacecraft sans space suits.  They also had to diet so they could all fit.

Despite the circus of getting Voskhod 1 off the launch pad, the missions was a success, lasting just over 1 day.






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