1961-012A
On 1961 Apr 12, an 8K72K launch vehicle took off from the NIIP-5 Baikonur range and placed spacecraft 3KA No. 3 in orbit. Aboard the spacecraft was Letchik-Maior Yuriy A. Gagarin of the VVS (Soviet Air Force), who thus introduced the world to a new word: Kosmonavt (astronaut). Vostok-3A No. 3 was registered officially as simply the spaceship `Vostok'.
Vostok-3A No. 3 entered a 169 x 315 km orbit, slightly higher than planned. After one hour and seven minutes in orbit, the PO engine ignited for the deorbit burn but shut down one second early and 4m/s too slow. The vehicle tumbled. The PO was meant to separate from the descent craft (SA) 10s later, but the PO and the SA failed to separate completely. The connecting straps burnt away during reentry 10 min later and the PO was soon gone.
As the SA descended by parachute, Gagarin ejected and floated down separately. This fact was left out in many Soviet reports because of an obscure international rule which stated that airplane flights setting world records must have the pilot setting off and touching down in the same vehicle. Other pedants cavilled at the fact that less than a complete orbit of the planet was accomplished. These points seem irrelevant now; Gagarin was certainly the first human to travel beyond Earth's atmosphere, the first space traveller.
The SA landed 1.5 km from the pilot.
| Vostok | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 Apr 12 | 0607:00 | Launch by 8K72K | KB LC1 |
| 0609 | Blok BVGD sep | ||
| 0609 | Fairing sep | ||
| 0612 | Blok-A sep | ||
| Blok-E burn | |||
| Blok-E cutoff | |||
| 0618 | Earth orbit insertion | 181 x 327 x 65 | |
| 0618:07 | Blok-E sep | 169 x 315 x 64.95 | |
| 0618:28 | Blok-E sep | ||
| 0704 | Apogee | ||
| 0715 | Orient for retro | ||
| 0717 | ASO readiness | ||
| 0725:04 | Deorbit 132m/s 44s over 12S 10E | ||
| 0725:48 | DO burnout | ||
| 0725:24? | PO failed to sep | ||
| 0736 | PO sep | ||
| 0743? | Pilot ejected | ||
| 0748 | Landed near Saratov | ||
| 0753 | Pilot landed near Saratov, 51 16N 45 59 E | ||
