"East" is a launch vehicle. The first rocket "East"

The Second World War, in addition to bringing a huge number of countless sacrifices and destruction, led to a scientific, industrial and technological revolution. The post-war redistribution of the world required the main competitors - the USSR and the USA - to develop new technologies, to develop science and production. Already in the 50s, mankind went into space: on October 4, 1957, the first spacecraft with the laconic name "Sputnik-1" circled the planet, ushering in a new era. Four years later, the first cosmonaut was put into orbit by the Vostok launch vehicle: Yuri Gagarin became a space explorer.

Background

World War II, contrary to the aspirations of millions of people, the world did not end. The confrontation between the Western (led by the USA) and the Eastern (USSR) blocs began - first for dominance in Europe, and then around the world. The so-called "cold war" broke out, at any moment threatening to develop into a hot stage.

With the creation of atomic weapons, the question arose of the fastest ways to deliver them over long distances. The Soviet Union and the United States have relied on the development of nuclear missiles capable of delivering an attack on an enemy located on the other side of the Earth in a matter of minutes. However, in parallel, the parties hatched ambitious plans for the development of near space. As a result, the Vostok rocket was created, Gagarin Yuri Alekseevich became the first astronaut, and the USSR took the lead in the missile sphere.

Battle for space

In the mid-1950s, the Atlas ballistic missile was created in the USA, and the P-7 (future East) in the USSR. The missile was created with a large margin of power and carrying capacity, which allowed it to be used not only for destruction, but also for creative purposes. It is no secret that the leading designer of the missile program, Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, was an adherent of Tsiolkovsky’s ideas and dreamed of conquering and exploring space. P-7 capabilities allowed sending satellites and even manned vehicles beyond the planet.

It was thanks to the ballistic R-7 and Atlas that mankind was able to overcome gravity for the first time. At the same time, a domestic missile capable of delivering a 5-ton load to the target possessed large reserves for improvement than the American one. This, combined with the geographical location of both states, has determined various ways of creating the first manned spacecraft (PAC) Mercury and Vostok. The launch vehicle in the USSR received the same name as the PAC.

History of creation

The development of the ship began at the Design Bureau of S. P. Korolev (now RSC Energia) in the fall of 1958. In order to gain time and “wipe the nose” of the USA, the USSR went along the shortest path. At the design stage, various ship designs were considered: from the winged model, which made it possible to land in a given area and almost at airfields, to the ballistic one - in the form of a sphere. The creation of a cruise missile with a high carrying capacity was associated with a large amount of scientific research, compared with a spherical shape.

The basis was taken recently designed for the delivery of nuclear warheads intercontinental missile (MP) R-7. After its modernization, the Vostok was born: a carrier rocket and a manned vehicle of the same name. A feature of the Vostok spacecraft was a separate landing system for the descent vehicle and the astronaut after his bailout. This system was intended for emergency abandonment of the ship in the active phase of flight. This guaranteed the preservation of life, regardless of where the landing was carried out - on a hard surface or water area.

Launch vehicle design

To launch a satellite ship into orbit around the Earth on the basis of MP R-7, the first Vostok rocket was developed for civilian purposes. Her flight design tests in an unmanned version began on May 5, 1960, and on April 12, 1961, the first manned flight into space - USSR citizen Yu. A. Gagarin.

A three-stage construction scheme was used using liquid fuel at all stages (kerosene + liquid oxygen). The first two steps consisted of 5 blocks: one central (maximum diameter 2.95 m; length 28.75 m) and four lateral (diameter 2.68 m; length 19.8 m). The third was connected by a rod to the central unit. Also on the sides of each stage stood steering cameras for maneuvering. In the head part a PAC was mounted (hereinafter referred to as artificial satellites), covered by a fairing. Side blocks are equipped with tail rudders.

Technical characteristics of the carrier "East"

The missile had a maximum diameter of 10.3 meters with a length of 38.36 meters. The starting weight of the system reached 290 tons. The estimated payload mass was almost three times the American counterpart and amounted to 4.73 tons.

Traction efforts of upper stages in a vacuum:

• central - 941 kN;
• lateral - 1 MN each;
• 3rd stage - 54.5 kN.

PAC design

The manned rocket "Vostok" (Gagarin as a pilot) consisted of a descent vehicle in the form of a sphere with an outer diameter of 2.4 meters and a detachable instrument-aggregate compartment. The heat-protective coating of the descent vehicle had a thickness of 30 to 180 mm. The case provides entrance, parachute and technological hatches. The descent vehicle contained power supply, thermal control, control, life support and orientation systems, as well as a control knob, communication, direction finding and telemetry equipment, and an astronaut’s remote control.

In the instrument-aggregate compartment there were control and orientation systems for movement, power supply, VHF radio communications, telemetry, and a program-time device. On the surface of the PAC were placed 16 cylinders with nitrogen for use by the orientation system and oxygen for breathing, cold mounted radiators with shutters, solar sensors and orientation engines. For the descent from the orbit, a brake propulsion system designed under the guidance of A. M. Isaev was intended.

The habitable module consists of:

• housing;
• brake motor;
• ejection seat;
• 16 gas cylinders of the life support system and orientation;
• thermal protection;
• instrument compartment;
• entrance, technological and service hatches;
• food container;
• a complex of antennas (tape, general radio communication, command radio communication system);
• casing of electrical connectors;
• tie-down tape;
• ignition systems;
• electronic equipment block;
• porthole;
• television camera.

Project Mercury

Soon after the successful flights of the first artificial Earth satellites, the creation of a manned spacecraft “Mercury” was widely advertised in the American media, and the date of its first flight was even announced. In these conditions, it was extremely important to gain time in order to emerge victorious in the space race and at the same time demonstrate to the world the superiority of one or another political system. As a result, the launch of the Vostok rocket with a man on board confused the ambitious plans of competitors.

The development of Mercury began at Mc Donnel Douglas in 1958. On April 25, 1961, the first unmanned vehicle launched on a suborbital trajectory, and May 5, the first manned flight of astronaut A. Shepard, also along a suborbital trajectory lasting 15 minutes. Only on February 20, 1962, ten months after Gagarin’s flight, the first orbital flight (3 turns lasting about 5 hours) of astronaut John Glenn on the ship “Friendshire-7” took place. For suborbital flights , the Redstone booster rocket was used, and the Atlas-D rocket launch vehicle. By that time, the USSR assets had a daily flight into space of G. S. Titov on the Vostok-2 spacecraft.

Characteristics of habitable modules

"East" - a rocket to the future

In addition to five test launches of ships of this type, six manned flights were completed. Subsequently, on the basis of Vostok, ships of the Voskhod series were created in three- and two-seater versions, as well as Zenit photo-reconnaissance satellites.

The Soviet Union was the first to launch an artificial Earth satellite and a spaceship with a man on board into space. At first, the world adopted the words “satellite” and “astronaut,” but over time, the English-speaking “satellite” and “astronaut” replaced them abroad.

Conclusion

The Vostok space rocket made it possible for mankind to discover a new reality - to break away from the earth and reach the stars. Despite repeated attempts to belittle the flight of the world's first cosmonaut Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin on April 12, 1961, this event will never fade, as it is one of the brightest milestones in the history of civilization.