"Vostok" - launch vehicle. The first rocket "Vostok"

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 18:37

The Second World War, in addition to bringing a huge number of countless victims and destruction, led to a scientific, industrial and technological revolution. The post-war redistribution of the world demanded that the main competitors - the USSR and the USA - develop new technologies, 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, heralding the beginning of a new era. Four years later, the Vostok launch vehicle delivered the first cosmonaut into orbit: Yuri Gagarin became the conqueror of space.

Backstory

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

With the creation of atomic weapons, the question arose of the fastest ways to deliver them over vast distances. The Soviet Union and the USA dida bet on the development of nuclear missiles capable of striking 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 exploration of near space. As a result, the Vostok rocket was created, Gagarin Yuri Alekseevich became the first cosmonaut, and the USSR seized leadership in the rocket sphere.

Space Battle

In the mid-1950s, the Atlas ballistic missile was created in the United States, and the R-7 (the future Vostok) was created in the USSR. The rocket was created with a large margin in terms of power and carrying capacity, which made it possible to use it not only for destruction, but also for creative purposes. It is no secret that the lead designer of the rocket program, Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, was an adherent of the ideas of Tsiolkovsky and dreamed of conquering and conquest of space. The capabilities of the R-7 made it possible to send satellites and even manned vehicles beyond the planet.

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

History of Creation

Development of the ship began at the Design Bureau of S. P. Korolev (now RSC Energia)autumn 1958. In order to gain time and "wipe the nose" of the United States, the USSR took the shortest path. At the design stage, various schemes of ships were considered: from a winged model, which allowed landing in a given area and almost at airfields, to a ballistic one - in the form of a sphere. The creation of a cruise missile with a high payload was associated with a large amount of scientific research, compared with a spherical shape.

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

Design of the launch vehicle

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

A three-stage design scheme was used, using liquid fuels (kerosene + liquid oxygen) at all stages. The first two stages consisted of 5 blocks:one central (maximum diameter 2.95 m; length 28.75 m) and four side (diameter 2.68 m; length 19.8 m). The third was connected by a rod to the central block. Also on the sides of each stage were steering chambers for maneuvering. In the head part, a PKK was mounted (hereinafter - artificial satellites), covered with a fairing. The side blocks are equipped with tail rudders.

Specifications of Vostok carrier

The rocket 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 weight was almost three times higher than the American counterpart and was equal to 4.73 tons.

Traction forces of accelerating blocks in the void:

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

PKK construction

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-shielding coating of the descent vehicle had a thickness of 30 to 180 mm. The hull has access, parachute and technological hatches. The descent vehicle contained power supply, thermal control, control, life support and orientation systems, as well as a control stick, means of communication, direction finding and telemetry, and an astronaut console.

In the instrument-aggregate compartment there were control and orientation systems for movement, power supply, VHF radio communications, telemetry, and a program-time device. 16 cylinders withnitrogen for use by the orientation system and oxygen for breathing, cold hinged radiators with shutters, sun sensors and orientation engines. A braking propulsion system, created under the leadership of A. M. Isaev, was intended for deorbiting.

The habitable module consists of:

• body;
• brake motor;
• ejection seat;
• 16 life support and orientation gas cylinders;
• thermal protection;
• instrument compartment;
• entrance, technological and service hatches;
• food container;
• antenna complex (ribbon, general radio communication, command radio communication system);
• housing for electrical connectors;
• tie strap;
• ignition systems;
• electronics unit;
• porthole;
• television camera.

Project Mercury

Shortly after the successful flights of the first artificial Earth satellites, the creation of a manned spacecraft "Mercury" was advertised in the American media with might and main, even the date of its first flight was called. Under these conditions, it was extremely important to win 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.

Development of the Mercury began at McDonnell Douglas in 1958. On April 25, 1961, the firstthe launch of an unmanned vehicle along a suborbital trajectory, and on 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, did the first orbital flight (3 orbits lasting about 5 hours) of astronaut John Glenn on the ship "Friendshire-7" take place. For suborbital flights, the Redstone launch vehicle was used, and for orbital flights, the Atlas-D. By that time, the USSR had a daily flight into space by G. S. Titov on the Vostok-2 spacecraft.

Characteristics of habitable modules

Spaceship	"East"	"Mercury"
Booster	"East"	Atlas-D
Length without antennas, m	1, 4	2, 9
Maximum diameter, m	2, 43	1, 89
Sealed volume, m3	5, 2	1, 56
Free volume, m3	1, 6	1
Starting mass, t	4, 73	1, 6
Descent vehicle mass, t	2, 46	1, 35
Perigee (orbit height),km	181	159
Apogee (orbit height), km	327	265
Orbital inclination	64, 95˚	32, 5˚
Date of flight	1961-12-04	20.02.1962
Flight duration, min	108	295

Vostok is a rocket into the future

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

The Soviet Union was the first to launch into space an artificial Earth satellite and a spacecraft with a man on board. At first, the world adopted the words "satellite" and "cosmonaut", but over time, they were replaced abroad by the English-language "satellite" and "astronaut".

Conclusion

The space rocket "Vostok" made it possible to discover a new reality for humanity - to get off the ground and reach for the stars. Despite repeated attempts to belittle the significance of 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 entire history of civilization.