Tag: Voskhod

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

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

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.

The U.S. Edges Ahead in the Race for Space, Shoots for the Moon

The U.S. Edges Ahead in the Race for Space, Shoots for the Moon

The “Space Race” between the United States and the Soviet Union remains an often studied and debated period of the 20th Century. While the Russians began with a lead, once challenged, the leadership of President John F. Kennedy resulted in Americans surpassing their Cold War rival on the way to the Moon. While the effort was politically motivated, the technology that came from space exploration built the modern world.