Vostok 1 (Cedar)

  1961-012A

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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