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Aviation History
1965
1965 - 1288.PDF
The cosmonaut's spherical capsule, equipment compartment, and final stage of the carrier rocket are the three main components of the Vostok spacecraft now on display in Moscow. The outline of the entrance hatch is visible on this side of the capsule Spaceflight VOSTOK REVEALED DETAILS of the Vostok spacecraft were released by theSoviet Union on April 29, on the occasion of theinclusion of a Vostok (or Vostok replica) as an exhibit at the Soviet Economic Achievement Exhibition in Moscow. The first sight of the spacecraft came as a surprise to those familiar with previously published Soviet artists' impressions, and in particular it was clear that the ground sequences in certain Soviet films said to have shown the Vostok in fact had depicted the final-stage rocket plus a rocket nose fairing which completely covered the actual Vostok capsule and equipment section. The cosmonaut's cabin section of the craft was seen to be a simple sphere. The Vostok was described by the Novosti news agency as a single-seater satellite spaceship consisting of a capsule to which is attached an instrument compartment. Mounted on the outside are the orientation system engines, and oxygen and air containers "to ensure proper breathing for the cos- monaut in the event of the capsule being punctured, and for ventilating the spacesuit." The instrument compartment was stated to contain the electric power-supply units, apparatus for controlling the spacecraft and for its descent, fuel for the orientation system, telemetry equipment and radio apparatus for confirming the orbit, television, communications equipment and aerials. All the systems installed on the outer surface of the space- craft, together with the instrument compartment, were stated to separate from the capsule when the latter enters the dense layers of the atmosphere during descent from orbit. Weight of the Vostok was quoted as 6.17 tons including the final stage of the carrier rocket, and 4.73 tons without the stage. Overall length, including the final stage, was said to be 7.35 metres (24ft ljin). Other details given by Novosti include the following. The Vostok capsule is a sphere with a diameter of 2.3 metres (7ft 6 in) and weighing 2.4 tons. Inside the capsule is the cosmonaut's cabin, while the outer surface of the sphere is covered with "a special heatproof coating" to protect it during the high temperatures experienced during re-entry. The cap- sule has three hatches—"the parachute hatch, the technological hatch and the exit hatch." It also has three portholes of refractory glass through which the cosmonaut can make obser- vations. To protect the cosmonaut's eyes from the Sun each porthole is fitted with shutters. The porthole directly in front of the cosmonaut has a "visor optical device" fixed in it; this is intended for orienting the spacecraft when under manual control. Above the optical device is mounted an instrument panel, and below it is a television camera giving an inside view of the cabin. The panel carries a set of instruments which register the temperature and humidity of the air in the cabin, the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide in it, the air pressure in the cabin, the pressure in the orientation system tanks, and other parameters. The same set includes a clock which is switched on at the time of launching and keeps time to the moment of landing. The upper section of the panel has an automatic globe which helps the cosmonaut to determine the point of the Earth over which the ship is flying at a given moment. The same instrument helps in choosing the right time to switch on the retrorockets to land in a pre-set area when using the manual control system for descent. To the left of the cosmonaut are a container with landing- system parachutes, a stock of drinking water, control panel. emergency heat-regulation system, landing-system radar and a tape recorder. On the right side of the cabin are the space- craft manual piloting stick, food container, air-regeneration system apparatus, electric clock, cabin side-view television camera, radio set, sanitary system and electric power-supply units. The cosmonaut's seat contains the spacesuit ventilation system, ejection equipment and the parachute systems. During ejection and parachute descent the back of the seat with the cosmonaut's strap attachments separates from the remaining
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