Konstantin Feoktistov, Voskhod 1 cosmonaut, born 1926

Konstantin Feoktistov, born February 7, 1926 in the former Soviet Union, made one trip into space aboard Voskhod 1 in October 1964.  He was an engineer working on an ion-propelled  spacecraft that could carry people to Mars, when he was selected for cosmonaut training in 1964 and put into space later that same year.

Voskhod 1 was the first multi-passenger mission with a crew of three.  It was the first time cosmonauts did not wear spacesuits, because they wanted to keep ahead of the Americans by putting more people into space at once. 

Feoktistov's fellow cosmonauts were Vladimir Komarov and Boris Yegorov.  Feoktistov ceased training for future missions due to medical reasons.

He passed away in November 2009 in Moscow.

Boris Yegorov, Voskhod 1 cosmonaut, born 1937

Boris Borisovich Yegorov, born November 26, 1937 in Moscow, flew on Voskhod 1, his only spaceflight. He earned a doctorate in medicine, specializing in disorders of the sense of balance.  When he was chosen to fly aboard Voskhod 1, he became the first physician in space.  His fellow cosmonauts were Vladimir Komarov and Konstantin Feoktistov.

Yegorov passed away from a heart attack in 1994.

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.