Soviet’s Voskhod Launch was ‘Undoubtedly a Greater Risk’

By Bob Granath

In the autumn of 1964, the Soviet Union achieved another space spectacular with the flight of the first multi-person spacecraft. On board was a pilot cosmonaut and the first civilians to fly in space – a physician and an engineer. Russia’s stated confidence in the reliability of their technology noted that there was no need for pressure suits. However, in the years since the fall of the Soviet regime, Russian space experts confirmed the mission was primarily for propaganda and included significant risks.

Following the successful six flights of the Vostok, engineers and scientists were busy developing tests on the piloted Soyuz spacecraft during 1964, hoping for a piloted lunar flyby in 1965 or ‘66. Aware that the United States was developing a two-man Gemini and three-man Apollo spacecraft, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev instructed Chief Designer Sergei Korolev to adapt the Vostok for the flight of three cosmonauts.

“Here, rapid tactical success was possible and for its sake, the strategic objective was pushed aside,” said. Russian rocket and spacecraft control systems designer Boris Chertok in his book, Rockets and People: Hot Days of the Cold War published in 2009 by the NASA History Division. He added that Soviet domestic propaganda system made broad use of the successes of the piloted flights to prove the superiority of the Soviet Union, and consequently, of its socialist system.

“Compared with the preceding six piloted launches, the Voskhod launch was undoubtedly a greater risk,” said Chertok, one of the founding fathers of the Russian space program.

On Oct. 12, 1964, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, spacecraft designer Konstantin Feoktistov and medical doctor Boris Yegorov, lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Their spacecraft was called “Voskhod,” Russian: for “Sunrise.” Chertok explained that the new spacecraft was nota step ahead in space technology. It was merely a one-crew member Vostok stripped down to accommodate seating for three.

“To accommodate three cosmonauts, it was necessary to do away with the seat ejection landing scenario. All three cosmonauts would land in the descent module itself,” said Chertok.

Soviet cosmonauts had never landed with their Vostok spacecraft. Yuri Gagarin and other early cosmonauts ejected and landed separately from their descent modules.

“This required the development of special seats with reliable shock-absorption and the introduction of a new system — a soft landing system,” he said. “It seemed totally impossible to put the three cosmonauts in space suits. They could be squeezed with difficulty for a short period of time in a very uncomfortable position wearing just training suits.”

A backup retrorocket was added onto the top of the descent module because the additional weight left room for provisions to accommodate only two extra days in orbit if required. These modifications increased the vehicle’s weight by more than 1,300 pounds over that of Valentina Tereshkova’s Vostok 6. To accommodate the heavier payload, the RD-107 launch vehicle was equipped with a new more powerful upper stage.

“If the spacecraft depressurized, death was inevitable,” said Chertok. “Second, due to volume and mass limitations, the spacecraft was only equipped with a two-day margin of life support resources. There could be no delay in returning to Earth. Third, the new landing system had only been tested once.”

‘One-off Space Spectaculars’

“Our space triumphs served as excellent camouflage for our stunted combat missile strength,” Chertok said. “It seemed to the entire world that the United States had fallen hopelessly behind in space.”

In the United States, the Voskhod flight had the intended impact leading NASA Administrator, James Webb, to refer to the flight of Voskhod as a “significant space accomplishment.”

(It was) “a clear indication that the Russians are continuing a large space program for the achievement of national power and prestige,”he said.

NASA’s now retired chief historian, Dr. Bill Barry, is an expert on the Soviet/Russian space program, earning a doctorate from Oxford University in England with a dissertation on Russian missile design bureaus and manned space flight during the 1960s. He recognized the Voskhod flight for what it was.

“The historical record is now clear that the Soviets were operating a very thin program of one-off spectaculars that made it appear there was a ‘space race,’” he said. “In fact, the U.S. was ahead in almost every measure from the start except in the size of our boosters and the agility and brilliance of the engineering team in coming up with ‘firsts’ that would score PR points.”

Military or Civilian Cosmonauts?

It was universally agreed that one of the already selected Soviet cosmonauts would serve as mission commander. However, selection of who would fill the other two seats resulted in heated discussions.

Nikolai Kamanin, a Soviet Air Force general and a program manager in the Soviet space program, proposed a military physician and a military engineer. Korolev proposed a civilian flight surgeon and engineer – and his view prevailed. The Ministry of Health recommended Yegorov, a physician from outside the Air Force system. Additionally, the flight engineer would be Feoktistov, from the spacecraft design bureau.

Komarov was born March 16, 1927 in Moscow where his father was a laborer. At the age of 15, he entered the Moscow Special Air Force School in 1942 to pursue his dream of becoming a pilot. Four years later, Komarov completed his first year of training at the Chkalov Higher Air Force School and then completed his training at the A.K. Serov Military Aviation College. In 1949, he received his pilot’s wings and commission as a lieutenant in the Soviet Air Force. In September 1959, Komarov was one of 20 candidates selected for Air Force Cosmonaut Group One.

Following the Voskhod mission, Komarov was selected to command the first Soyuz flight on April 23, 1967. After liftoff and reaching orbit, the solar panels of the Soyuz spacecraft failed to deploy fully preventing the craft from achieving full electrical power and obscuring some of the navigation equipment. He successfully re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere on his 19th orbit, but the module’s drogue and main parachute failed to properly deploy with the Soyuz crashing, killing Komarov.

Feoktistov was born Feb. 7, 1926 in Voronezh Soviet Union. While serving with the Army during the Nazi occupation at the age of 16, he performed reconnaissance missions. After the war, he enrolled in the Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School graduating in 1949. He went on to earn a doctorate in physics. Working at the Mikhail Tikhonravov design bureau, Feoktistov was a member of the team that designed the Sputnik satellites, as well as the Vostok, Voskhod and Soyuz spacecraft.

After his flight aboard Voskhod, Feoktistov continued working in engineering, leading the Energia space design bureau developing the Salyut and Mir space stations. He left his engineering post in 1990 becoming a professor at the Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School. He died Nov. 21, 2009 at the age of 83.

Born Nov. 26, 1937 in Moscow, Yegorov’s father was a cardiologist and his mother an ophthalmologist. He received his medical degree from the Moscow Medical Institute in 1961. Following his graduation, Yegorov began working as a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Problems and the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems. His work focused on space medicine and he soon became an expert in the field.

In 1964, Yegorov was selected as part of the Voskhod crew because of his expertise in space medicine. During the 24-hour mission, he conducted medical experiments relating to the effects of spaceflight on the human body. After his one spaceflight, Yegorov served as a professor at the Moscow Medical Institute. His work focused on space medicine, developing medical equipment for use in later space missions. He died following a heart attack in 1994.

‘Launch went off beautifully’

Liftoff took place at 12:30 p.m. in Kazakhstan on Oct. 12. “The launch went off beautifully,” Chertok said.

During the ascent to orbit, all goes as planned with Russia’s first cosmonaut, Gagarin in communications with Komarov. On the sixth and seventh orbits, television pictures from the cabin were received, showing a multidisciplinary team working together.

Much of the mission focused on biomedical research, the first to produce significant biomedical data. Yegorov monitored the physical condition of his crewmates measuring their blood pressure, taking blood samples, recording brain waves and testing muscle coordination.

Following the custom, arrangements were made for Khrushchev to speak with the cosmonauts via radio phone from his second home in the Crimea, a peninsula on the northern coast of the Black Sea. Komarov reported to Khrushchev that “the flight was proceeding normally.”

As the time approached to begin the re-entry process, Korolev spoke to Komarov.

“This is Rubin,” said Komarov, using his code name, Rubin (Russian for ruby). “I feel fine. Many interesting developments. I’d like to continue working.” Wistfully hoping for more time in space.

“But that wasn’t the agreement,” Korolev said with the hint of a smile.

“You’re right, it wasn’t,’ Komarov said.

“This is ’20,’ how do you feel?,” said Korolev using “20,” a code for himself. “Are you ready for final operations?”

Following the scheduled re-entry on Oct. 13, 1964, Korolev, Chertok and other Soviet space program officials waited for word on whether the new landing system had worked.

The pilot of a recovery aircraft reported that he saw the spacecraft on the ground and there are three people near it waving their arms. Thundering applause and embraces followed in the mission control center. The crew of Voskhod landed northeast of Kostanay, Kazakhstan after 24 hours and 17 minutes of flight. Improved parachutes slowed the spacecraft with the cosmonauts remaining aboard the capsule.

“I never would have believed that it was possible to make a Voskhod out of a Vostok and have three cosmonauts fly in it,” said Korolev,

Feoktistov reported that the landing was not quite as soft as it could have been, writing that “sparks were flying in front of the cosmonauts’ eyes.” After touching down, the capsule rolled over so that the three cosmonauts were hanging from their seat belts from the ceiling. He reported that at no time did he find zero gravity unpleasant.

Bewildering News

After the return of the Voskhod crew, the expected congratulations were not happening. Chertok noted that, according to ritual, the cosmonauts were supposed to report to Khrushchev about their safe return. The news soon arrived that there would be no conversation with Khrushchev and that the cosmonauts could fly to from their landing site, Kostanay, directly back to the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Komarov, Feoktistov and Yegorov soon learned that during their one day in space, the Soviet Union underwent a stunning change in power. Khrushchev’s brief conversation with the Voskhod crew was one of his last actions as premier. Leonid Brezhnev had taken power of the USSR and Khrushchev was dismissed into retirement. The Presidium and the Central Committee of the USSR elected Brezhnev as First Secretary and Alexei Kosygin succeeded Khrushchev as premier.

The somewhat bewildered crew received a congratulatory phone call from new leader Brezhnev, later followed by a traditional parade in Moscow’s iconic Red Square.

Looking ahead to Voskhod 2, Korolev promised that “we would amaze the world by having a cosmonaut perform a spacewalk from a spacecraft.” Chertok noted that there were no demands from the leaders in Moscow, simply the pressure led by Korolev himself and the U.S. Gemini Program.

A spacewalk “was one more tactical ploy to pre-empt U.S. operations,” he said. ”The Americans had announced that the first piloted flight of (the Gemini) program would take place in March 1965. My colleagues and I calculated that we could manage to launch the Voskhod-2 in February 1965.”

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