April 23, 1967 the launch of the first manned spacecraft in a series of "Union."On board was Vladimir Komarov - astronaut who piloted the ship alone.This flight was the first in history in which a man died.The real reasons that led to the terrible tragedy, and now is not known.At the same time there are a lot of assumptions.Some experts believe that the causes are reduced to excessive haste dictated by the rivalry of the USSR and the United States in space exploration, while others insist that this has resulted in a fatal coincidence.
idea of creating a totally new space ship "Soyuz" belonged to Sergei Korolyov and there was only a few months after it first visited in space, Yuri Gagarin.In parallel, over its lunar program we are actively working American scientists who set out to ensure the implementation of landing astronauts on the moon.The Soviet Government planned in whatever was ahead of opponents overseas.This may explain his secret decree, dated 1963 year, according to which the first to circumnavigate the Earth's moon was a Soviet cosmonaut.Komarov for this role is ideal.Tests designed for this flight spacecraft "Soyuz" were scheduled for 1964, and start-up - for 1965, the most in 1966.On the same ship he was assigned the mission associated with the flyby of the moon in 1967 and landing on it in 1968.
Vladimir Komarov - the astronaut who died in large part due to the fact that the preparation of the ship was carried out in a great hurry.According to unofficial data, the engineers have been warning about the detection of a large number of defects in the structure before the flight.There is information that these faults were about a hundred.Despite this, the Soviet government insisted on schedule.In his view, it was necessary to get ahead of the Americans at any cost.Unfortunately, at the time of starting the chief designer Sergei Korolev had died, and to refuse even the country's government only he could.Because he did not miss even the smallest detail, he could survive and Vladimir Komarov.Cosmonaut simply would not fly on that fateful day.
first unmanned launches "Soyuz" were produced in 1966-1967.There were three.However, none of them has been successful.With great anxiety to such plans treated and Yuri Gagarin, who did not approve of unnecessary risk to human life.However, even these facts are not forced the government to change the decision: Komarov - astronaut who was the first to fly to the manned spacecraft "Soyuz-1".Unfortunately, it did not save the highest qualification and experience.Already in the first minutes of the flight it became apparent failure of outer vessel.After release into orbit it appears that the system is not working orientation and one of the two solar panels.Despite this, almost blindly astronaut was able to customize everything.Everything went to a successful return.But at a distance of seven kilometers from the Earth's main parachute did not open, and a spare slings confused with the brake.As it turned out in the end, for the production of its container to use a very soft material that gripped the parachute.
next manned launch "Union" there was only one and a half years.The device has been significantly improved and is successfully used even now.The only thing that upsets in this case - is that the astronaut Komarov, whose death occurred in 1967, he gave his own life for the first test of a space ship.
