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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 2737.PDF
730 FLIGHT International, 22 October Space flight and missiles 15th Orbit The spacecraft completed the 15th orbit with the flight proceeding normally and each member of the crew working at his assigned task—Komarov watching over the functioning of the Voskhod's equipment and testing its control and orientation systems; and Feoktistov photographing the horizon and using correction tables to check the crew's working capacity. Yegorov was resting during this orbit: before the start of the 16th orbit the crew had lunch. It was reported from the spacecraft that all members of the crew were feeling well: pressure, temperature and humidity in the cabin were within normal limits: and all on-board equipment was working faultlessly. Re-entry and Recovery On the 17th orbit Komarov received the order to conclude the flight. The cosmonaut reported switching on the instruments and installations of the braking system. A few minutes passed. The first to report the successful completion of the flight was an airman, Mikhaylov. "I can see an object entering thick clouds," he signalled by radio to the ground at 10.40 a.m. Tass correspondent Nikolay Zheleznov reported from "the cosmic flight control point" that aircraft and helicopters carrying para- chutists ready to meet the cosmonauts on landing were patrolling the predetermined landing area. At 10.57, lOmin after the landing, airmen reported, "We see a landed object. We can see it clearly; we can sec the three cosmonauts, they all walk briskly . . ." The spacecraft landed, Tass reported, in the north of the Krai virgin territory, in a field of a State farm. The crew were then taken by special aircraft to Kustanay in Northern Kazakhstan and later to the Baikonur spaceflight base. A correspondent reported that, shortly before re-entry, Komarov transmitted a request on behalf of the crew to continue the flight for a second 24hr period. The chief designer replied "Prepare for the concluding stage of our programme," while the designer added that they could not cover everything: "We shall work according to the programme." The chief designer was reported as saying that no devices for ejecting the crew had been included in the Voskhod design. The braking system of the craft had been switched on while Voskhod was over Africa, and the spaceship had made a parachute landing. In its descent, Voskhod had followed a certain trajectory which could be selected. As no ejection of the crew had been planned they had not been provided with space suits or pressure helmets. The chief designer stressed that the spacecraft landed "softly." "This means that its speed when touching the Earth is either zero or very low," he said. "For this, Voskhod is fitted with a special system." When landing on water, also, the speed was zero or very low. The craft was unsinkable. "When putting the finishing touches to the soft-landing system we brought the ship down in a very strong wind and at sea with high waves." Government Messages In a message from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the Praesidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet and the Soviet Government, addressed to "the Communist Party and the peoples of the Soviet Union, the peoples and governments of all countries, and to all progressive mankind," it was said that this "peerless spacefiight" had been possible by the development of "more powerful and perfect rockets, one of which lifted Voskhod into space." This new great victory in the conquest of space, the message commented, had "added greatly to the glory of our socialist home- land." The message went on to state that the Soviet Union's space victories epitomized the advantages of the socialist system and the triumph of the ideas of Marxism-Leninism; that the hearts of the Soviet people were filled with joy and fiery Soviet patriotism; that the exploration of outer space was proceeding at an extremely rapid pace; that the Soviet Union was consistently pursuing a Leninist policy of peace on Earth, resolutely standing for the exclusively peaceful uses of outer space; and a number of other points. Eye-witness Reports Preparations for the launch of Voskhod, and its recovery, were reported by N. Denisov in Pravda and G. Ostroymov in Izvestia. Denisov begins the story 30 minutes before blast-off, when, he says, they had just seen the cosmonauts into the spaceship, and were now viewing them on television screens as they settled into their places. They were not wearing conventional spacesnits but light woollen costumes—grey sports- style rubashki (Russian shirts) and similar breeches, with light convenient footwear. Each was also wearing a white shlemophon (communications helmet). Going up to the spaceship, they had worn in addition short coats to protect them against a cold wind The countdown proceeds. The spaceship call-sign is Rubin (Ruby). Denisov records that the viewing area is surprisingly close to the launch pad—only a few hundred metres. Denisov had earlier visited the spaceship: "At the invitation of the chief constructor the correspondents of Pravda and Tass go up to the spaceship. In order to get to Voskhod from the platform where the lift previously stopped to give access to the Vostok-type spaceship, it is now necessary to go up further by a steep open ladder. On the way up we pass Vladimir Komarov and Constantin Feoktistov going down. Here is the Voskhod. "At the open hatch of the spaceship cabin are Yuri Gagarin and a young engineer. In the cabin are three seats almost in a row- working places of the spaceship commander, the scientist and the doctor. On one wall, in the middle to be visible to all the cosmo- nauts, is an instrument panel with a globe, clock and other instru- ments needed in flight. Near the commander's seat is the control handle of the spaceship, showing black. Right near is an oblong panel with tumbler switches and buttons for switching in various systems, radio, conveniently placed telegraph key, containers for space food and water supplies, and a container for warm clothing and a lightweight immersion suit—necessary in case the spaceship should come down on water. "We look with interest round the inside of the cabin. We note that the vzor* (type of window), not now covered by blinds, is near the doctor's place—does this mean, probably, that Boris Yegorov will observe the stars and Earth mainly through it ? And his comrades? They will use other windows, near their working places." Ostroymov, also, describes this visit to the spacecraft. Coming out of the lift on to the platform, he says, "The smooth cylindrical wall of the rocket goes on up. A metal ladder from the platform leads up. I don't take my hand off the rail. On the right is the rocket, on the left—air. Finally the platform, the very highest... Against the rail of the platform is some sort of disc, enveloped in synthetic film. I believe it is the hatch of the spaceship. I go round the body of the rocket... Gagarin meets us at the very hatchway." Towards the end of the flight, Ostroymov records the following conversation between the spaceship commander and the chief constructor :— "We have seen many interesting things. We should like to refine our observations. The entire crew asks permission to prolong the flight one day." "There are many things, O friend Horatio," answers the chief constructor with a verse of Shakespeare's. "Of course, many interesting things. But ... we shall carry out the programme." Ostroymov comments that among the many interesting things was the polar aurora, not previously seen by either Russian or American space fliers. Both Denisov and Ostroymov describe the new spaceship as possessing a new landing system, ensuring a smooth, practically nil-velocity landing on either land or water. Ostroymov later records the sighting of the spacecraft on its descent: "Spaceship seen on parachutes!" According to Denisov's account, parachutes might not be the whole story; he records that the landing system was tested out in high winds and on heavy seas. There are many references to confirm that both the spaceship Voskhod and the rocket which launched it are new, representing a distinct develop- ment from the Vostok and its launcher. The crew of Voskhod took some valuable relics with them on their flight. Specially presented to them by Pravda, these comprised portraits of Karl Marx and V. I. Lenin, and a red bow with the emblems or colours of the last barricade of the Paris Communes. Cosmos 48 The launching of a further 65° Cosmos satellite on the day following the recovery of the Voskhod spacecraft was announced by Tass on October 14. Orbital elements were quoted i as 203-295km, period 89.4min, inclination 65° 04'; and radio(| transmitting frequency as 19.996Mc/s. * Presumably analogous to the special window on Vostok craft, equipped^ with a graticule, etc.
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