Vostok programme

The Vostok programme (???????, translated as "East") was a Soviet human spaceflight project that succeeded in putting a person into Earth orbit for the first time. The programme developed the Vostok spacecraft and adapted the Vostok rocket from an existing ICBM design.

Related Topics:
Soviet - Human spaceflight - Earth - Vostok spacecraft - Vostok rocket - ICBM

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A series of prototype Vostoks, including at least five with animals and some with a test dummy aboard, were used to qualify the spacecraft for human flight. Dates given are dates of spacecraft launch.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Sputnik 4 (Korabl-Sputnik 1) - May 15, 1960.
• Sputnik 5 (Korabl-Sputnik 2) - August 19, 1960.
• Sputnik 6 (Korabl-Sputnik 3) - December 1, 1960.
• Sputnik 9 (Korabl-Sputnik 4) - March 9, 1961.
• Sputnik 10 (Korabl-Sputnik 5) - March 25, 1961.
• Vostok 1 - April 12, 1961. First human spaceflight.
• Vostok 2 - August 6, 1961. First full day in space.
• Vostok 3 - August 11, 1962, and Vostok 4 - August 12, 1962. First dual flight.
• Vostok 5 - June 14, 1963. Longest solo spaceflight.
• Vostok 6 - June 16, 1963. First woman in space.

Another seven Vostok flights were originally planned, going through to the April of 1966, but these were cancelled as the race to the moon intensified.

Related Topics:
1966 - Moon

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vostok was followed by the Voskhod programme.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
Vostok programme: See also ►