Page 3 of 51 234 5

Nov 26

Space Rocket History an Encore Presentation of Episode #44 – Voskhod-1with Kamarov, Yegorov, and Feoktistov – Part 1

Posted on November 26, 2015 by spac9750

Premiere Khrushchev was not willing to wait until Soyuz for another space first. Khrushchev believed, There could be no final victories in the race for space propaganda. He knew the US was working on project Gemini which would carry two astronauts in 1965. So, as a means to upstage the US, Khrushchev ordered Chief Designer Korolev to fit three cosmonauts into the Voskhod spacecraft that was designed for two…

By Dave

Yegorov

Feoktistov

Komarov

Voskhod 1 and 2

Mission Patch

Jan 22

Space Rocket History #97 – Soyuz Test Flight No. 2

Posted on January 22, 2015 by spac9750

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS

The first Soyuz test flight was a catastrophic failure. Due to negligence, the attitude control system malfunctioned and used all of its fuel before a rendezvous could be attempted or even the second Soyuz rocket could be launched. When the Soviets attempted to return the first Soyuz to earth, the vehicle’s self-destruct system activated because it was unable to make a landing in the Soviet Union. OKB-1 was disgraced.

Soyuz Interior

R7 Derivatives

Kerimov

Ustinov

By Dave

Jan 15

Space Rocket History #96 – Soyuz Test Flight No. 1 – Kosmos-133

Posted on January 15, 2015 by spac9750

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS

After many delays in launching the first Soyuz due to design complications, equipment deliveries, the learning curve for testing new designs, unreasonable launch dates, persecution from the communist party, and the death of Chief Designer Korolev. The first unmanned test flight is nearing launch. Two Soyuz 7k-OK’s have made it through testing. Both Soyuz have been attached to their carrier rocket and are nearly ready to launch. The plan is to launch both vehicles 24 hours apart in order to perform a rendezvous.

By Dave

7K-OK Diagram

7K-OK Interior

Jan 08

Space Rocket History #95 – Soyuz Development – Part 4 – Politics and Testing

Posted on January 8, 2015 by spac9750

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Email | TuneIn | RSS

“In those days, the Party organizations in industry were not only involved with policy, ideology, and the “struggle against nonconformist thought,” but tried to get involved in technology and production engineering. Wielding real authority over people who were Party members, they had the opportunity to affect the production process. With few exceptions, every chief designer was a Party member. It was far more dangerous to receive a Party reprimand than a reprimand ordered by the head of an enterprise or even a minister.

The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was a party of power. This was a party that actively meddled in the production process not only from the top—through the Central Committee or Politburo—but also from the bottom. Things did not always turn out as planned, but as a rule, they had the best of intentions. The Party attempted to encompass all aspects of a person’s life with its ideological influence. Any job was supposed to be a “thing of virtue, honor, and heroism,” not for the sake of personal prosperity, but to strengthen the power of the state. “So long as our motherland lives, there are no other cares”—these words succinctly and rather accurately reflected the spirit of a myriad of Party propaganda campaigns. Any deviation from the Party line was punished mercilessly. The Party allowed no liberalism within its ranks.“ Boris Chertok.