Soyuz 1: Difference between revisions

| image = The Soviet Union- 1964- CPA 3110 stamp (3-Vladimirmen MikhailovichSpace Flight of Komarov, Yegorov and Feoktistov. Vladimir Komarov (1927-1967), a Soviet test pilot, aerospace engineer, and cosmonaut).jpg

| landing_site = 3 km at the west of Karabutak, [[Orenburg Oblast]], [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russian SFSR]], [[Soviet Union]]<ref name="googlell"/>

|crew1_up = {{flagicon|URS}} [[Vladimir Komarov]]

|crew1_up = {{flagicon|URS}} [[Yuri Gagarin]]

Soyuz 1 was the first crewed flight of the first-generation [[Soyuz 7K-OK]] spacecraft and [[Soyuz rocket]], designed as part of the [[Soviet crewed lunar programs|Soviet lunar program]]. It was the first Soviet crewed spaceflight in over two years, and the first Soviet crewed flight following the death of the Chief Designer of the space programprogramme [[Sergei Korolev]]. Komarov was launched on Soyuz 1 despite failures of the previous uncrewed tests of the 7K-OK, [[Kosmos 133]] and [[Kosmos 140]]. A third attempted test flight was a launch failure; a launch abort triggered a malfunction of the [[launch escape system]], causing the rocket to explode on the pad. The escape system successfully pulled the spacecraft to safety.<ref>{{ws | [[s:Mir Hardware Heritage/Part 1 - Soyuz|Part 1 – Soyuz]] in ''Mir Hardware Heritage'' by David S. F. Portree}}</ref>

According to interviews with Venyamin Russayev, a former [[KGB]] agent, prior to launch, Soyuz 1 engineers are said to have reported 203 design faults to party leaders, but their concerns "were overruled by political pressures for a series of space feats to mark the anniversary of [[Lenin]]'s birthday".<ref name="BBC"/> ItRussayev isalso notclaims clearthat how[[Yuri muchGagarin]] ofwas thisthe pressurebackup resultedpilot fromfor wantingSoyuz to1, continueand beatingwas aware of the [[Uniteddesign States]]problems inand the pressures from the [[SpacePolitburo Raceof the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|Politburo]] andtohaveproceed Sovietswith firstthe onflight. He attempted to "bump" Komarov from the [[Moon]]mission, orknowing tothat takethe advantageSoviet ofleadership would not risk a national hero on the recentflight.<ref setbacksname="Krulwich">{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2011/05/02/134597833/cosmonaut-crashed-into-earth-crying-in-rage|title=Cosmonaut Crashed Into Earth "Crying In Rage": Krulwich Wonders...|publisher=NPR.org|date=2011-03-18|access-date=2012-04-09}}</ref>At the Unitedsame Statestime, spaceKomarov programrefused withto pass on the [[Apollomission, 1]]even disasterthough he believed it to be doomed. He explained that he could not risk Gagarin's life.<ref name="Krulwich"/> Russayev's account, however, has been seen as implausible and exaggerated by most historians of the Soviet space programme.<ref name="Krulwich2">{{cite web |url=https://text.npr.org/135919389|title=A Cosmonaut's Fiery Death Retold|publisher=NPR.org|date=2011-05-11|access-date=2012-05-11}}</ref>

Soyuz 1 was launched on 23 April 1967 at 00:32 GMT from [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] carrying Komarov, the first Soviet cosmonaut to fly in space twice, in the 7K-OK No. 4 capsule.<ref>[https://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz1-decision.html Final decision to launch Soyuz-1] ''wonderdome.co.uk'', accessed 26 December 2022</ref> Problems began shortly after launch when one solar panel failed to unfold, leading to a shortage of power for the spacecraft's systems. Further problems with the orientation detectors complicated maneuvering the craft. By orbit 13, the automatic stabilisation system was completely dead, and the manual system was only partially effective.

The crew of Soyuz 2 modified their mission goals, preparing themselves for a launch that would include fixing the solar panel of Soyuz 1. However, that night, thunderstorms at [[Baikonur Cosmodrome]] in Kazakhstan affected the booster's electrical system, causing the mission to be called off.<ref>French, Francis and Burgess, Colin. "In the Shadow of the Moon". University of Nebraska Press, 2007, p. 177</ref>

As a result of Komarov's report during the 13th orbit, the [[Flight controller|flight director]] decided to abort the mission. After 18 orbits, Soyuz 1 fired its [[retrorocket]]s and [[Atmospheric reentry|reentered]] the [[Atmosphere of Earth|Earth's atmosphere]]. Despite the technical difficulties up to that point, Komarov might still have landed safely. A few minutes before the tragedy, Komarov maintained radio contact with Gagarin, in particular, stating: "The engine was running for 146 seconds. Everything is going fine. Everything is going fine! The ship was oriented correctly. I am in the middle chair. Tied with straps."<ref>[https://www.kp.ru/daily/26669.3/3689755/ Трагедия «Союза-1»: Почему разбился космонавт Владимир Комаров]. In Russian</ref> To slow the descent, first the [[drogue parachute]] was deployed, followed by the main parachute. However, due to a defect, the main parachute did not unfold; the exact reason for the main parachute malfunction is disputed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.friends-partners.org/pipermail/fpspace/2000-October/000717.html|title=The Red Stuff|website=friends-partners.org|date=24 October 2000|access-date=9 April 2012|archive-date=17 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317105517/http://www.friends-partners.org/pipermail/fpspace/2000-October/000717.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz1.html|title=The Soyuz-1 accident investigation|access-date=5 January 2015}}</ref>

Komarov then activated the manually deployed reserve chute, but it became tangled with the drogue chute, which did not release as intended. As a result, the [[Soyuz (spacecraft)#Descent module|Soyuz descent module]] fell to [[Earth]] in [[Orenburg Oblast]] almost entirely unimpeded, at about {{cvt|40|m/s|km/h mph}}. A rescue [[helicopter]] spotted the descent module lying on its side with the parachute spread across the ground on fire. The retrorockets then started firing which concerned the rescuers since they were supposed to activate a few moments prior to touchdown. By the time they landed and approached, the descent module was in flames with black smoke filling the air and streams of molten metal dripping from the exterior. The entire base of the capsule burned through. By this point, it was obvious that Komarov had not survived, but there was no code signal for a cosmonaut's death, so the rescuers fired a signal flare calling for medical assistance. Another group of rescuers in an aircraft then arrived and attempted to extinguish the blazing spacecraft with portable [[fire extinguisher]]sextinguishers. This proved insufficient and they instead began using shovels to throw dirt onto it. The descent module then completely disintegrated, leaving only a pile of debris topped by the entry hatch. When the fire at last ended, the rescuers were able to dig through the rubble to find Komarov's remains strapped into the center couch, his body had turned into charred clothing and flesh. Doctors pronounced the cause of death to be from multiple blunt-force injuries. The body was transported to [[Moscow]] for an official [[autopsy]] in a military hospital where the cause of death was verified to match the field doctors' conclusions.

The Soyuz 1 crash site coordinates are {{Coord|51.3609|N|59.5624|E}}, which is {{cvt|3|km}} west of Karabutak, [[Orenburg Oblast|Orenburg oblast]], in [[Soviet Union]]. This is about {{cvt|275|km}} east-southeast of [[Orenburg]]. There is a memorial monument at the site in the form of a black column with a bust of Komarov at the top, in a small park on the roadside.<ref name="googlell">{{cite web |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=51.374567,59.572163&spn=0.052613,0.165997&t=h&z=13&iwloc=lyrftr:com.panoramio.all,6302492947772100897,51.360849,59.562378&lci=com.panoramio.all|title= Google Maps – Soyuz 1 Crash Site – Memorial Monument Photo|access-date=2010-12-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&lci=org.wikipedia.en&q=51.3615,59.5622(Soyuz+1)&ie=UTF8&ll=51.361599,59.563065&spn=0.051342,0.138359&z=13|title=Google Maps – Soyuz 1 Crash Site – Memorial Monument Location|access-date=25 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.360902,59.562378&spn=0,0.138359&t=h&z=13&lci=com.panoramio.all&layer=c&cbll=51.360902,59.562378&cbp=12,0,,0,5&photoid=po-10147834|title=Google Maps – Soyuz 1 Crash Site – Memorial Monument Photo closeup|access-date=25 December 2010}}</ref>

A much improved Soyuz programprogramme emerged from this eighteen-month delay, mirroring the improvements made in the [[Apollo program]] after the [[Apollo 1]] tragedy. Although it failed to reach the [[Moon]], the Soyuz went on to be repurposed from the centerpiececentrepiece of the [[Zond program|Zond lunar program]] to the people-carrier of the [[Salyut]] space station program, the [[Mir]] space station, and the [[International Space Station]]. Although it suffered another tragedy with the [[Soyuz 11]] accident in 1971, and went through several incidents with non-fatal launch aborts and landing mishaps, it has become one of the longest-lived and most dependable crewed spacecraft yet designed.

Komarov is commemorated in two memorials left on the lunar surface: one left at [[Tranquility Base]] by [[Apollo 11]],<ref>{{cite book|last=Aldrin|first=Buzz|last2=McConnell|first2=Malcolm|title=Men from Earth |publisher=Bantam|dateyear=1 July 1989|url=https://archive.org/details/menfromearth0000aldr|isbn=978-0-553-05374-6|url-access=registration}}</ref> and the ''[[Fallen Astronaut]]'' statue and plaque left by [[Apollo 15]].