"East" - booster.

Second World War, in addition to what has brought a huge amount of countless victims and destruction, resulted in scientific, industrial and technological revolution.The post-war division of the world demanded that the main competitors - the USSR and the United States - to develop new technologies, to develop science and production.Already in the 50s of humanity left in space: October 4, 1957 the first spacecraft with a laconic name "Sputnik 1" circled the planet, heralding a new era.Four years later, the first astronaut to orbit the carrier rocket has delivered the "Vostok" Yuri Gagarin became the conqueror of the cosmos.

Background

World War II, despite the aspirations of millions of people, the world has not ended.The confrontation of the West (led by the US) and the Eastern (Soviet) units - first for dominance in Europe and then worldwide.It broke the so-called "cold war", at any time threatens to escalate into a hot stage.

With the creation of nuclear weapons was a question on the fastest way of delivery over long distances.The Soviet Union and the United States have relied on the development of nuclear missiles capable of in a few minutes to strike the opponent who is on the other side of the Earth.However, parallel to the sides of ambitious plans of development of near-Earth space.The result was a rocket "Vostok", Yuri Gagarin became the first astronaut A. and the Soviet Union took the lead in the missile area.

Space Race

In the mid-1950s in the US was established ballistic missile "Atlas" and the Soviet Union - P-7 (the future "East").The rocket was created with plenty of power and capacity that allows it to be used not only for destruction but also for constructive purposes.It is no secret that the chief designer of the rocket program Sergei Korolev was a supporter of the ideas of Tsiolkovsky dreamed of conquering and space exploration.Features R-7 allows you to send satellites and even piloted vehicles outside world.

It is thanks to the R-7 ballistic and "Atlas" for the first time mankind has been able to overcome gravity.At the same time domestic missiles capable of delivering to the target 5-ton cargo of large reserves of improvement, rather than American.This, combined with the geographical location of both countries, has identified various ways of creating the first manned spacecraft (GAC) "Mercury" and "East".Booster in the Soviet Union had the same name as the PKK.

History

Development ship began in EDO SP Korolev (now RSC "Energia") in the autumn of 1958.To gain time and "outdo" the United States, the Soviet Union went to the shortest path.At the stage of designing different schemes were considered ships from cruise models allowing to land in a given area and almost on the ground, to ballistic - in the form of a sphere.Creating a cruise missile with a high load-carrying capacity it was associated with a large amount of research, compared with a spherical shape.

Was based on the newly-designed to deliver nuclear warheads intercontinental missile (MR) P-7.After its modernization was born and "East": booster and manned spacecraft of the same name.A feature of the "Vostok" was split landing system lander and astronaut after his ejection.This system is intended for emergency evacuation of the ship on the active part of the flight.This ensured the preservation of life, regardless of the destination of the landing - on a hard surface or water.

design booster

to launch ship-satellite into orbit around the Earth on the basis of MP R-7 was developed the first rocket "Vostok" for civilian purposes.Its flight tests unmanned began May 5, 1960, and already 12 April 1961 for the first time held a manned space flight - a citizen of the Soviet Union Yuri Gagarin.

was involved a three-stage construction scheme using at all levels of the liquid fuel (kerosene + liquid oxygen).The first two stages were composed of 5 units: one central (maximum diameter of 2.95 m, length 28.75 m) and four side (diameter 2.68 m, length 19.8 m).The third rod was connected to the central unit.Also on the sides of each stage were steering the camera for maneuvering.The head of the mounted PAC (hereinafter - satellites), covered with a fairing.The side units are equipped with tail rudders.

media specifications "East»

missile had a maximum diameter of 10.3 meters with a length of 38.36 meters.The launch weight of 290 tons reached.Estimated weight of the payload is almost three times higher than American counterpart, and was equal to 4.73 tons.

tractive force boosters in the void:

• center - 941 kN;
• side - 1 MN;
• 3rd stage - 54.5 kN.

design PAC

manned rocket "Vostok" (Gagarin as a pilot) consisted of a lander as a sphere external diameter of 2.4 meters and a discharge device-propulsion compartment.A thermal barrier coating lander had a thickness of 30 to 180 mm.The enclosure provides input, parachuting and technological hatches.The descent module are power system, thermal management, life support and guidance, as well as the control handle, communications, direction finding and telemetry, remote astronaut.

in instrument-aggregate compartment located control systems and traffic orientation, power supply, VHF radio, telemetry, software-time device.On the surface of the PAC were placed 16 tanks with nitrogen for use by the system orientation and oxygen for breathing, cold mounted radiators with shutters, sun sensors and motors orientation.For de-orbiting intended retropropulsion, created under the direction of M. Isayev.

Inhabited module consists of:

• housing;
• engine braking;
• ejection seat;
• 16 gas cylinders and life-support systems orientation;
• thermal protection;
• instrument compartment;
• input, process and service hatches;
• container of food;
• complex antenna (tape, common radio system command radio);
• electrical connector housing;
• shrink tape;
• ignition system;
• unit of electronic equipment;
• window;
• television camera.

project "Mercury»

Shortly after the successful flight of the first artificial satellites in the US media vengeance touted the creation of a manned spaceship "Mercury," even named the date of its first flight.In these circumstances, it is essential to buy time in order to emerge victorious in the space race, and at the same time to show the world the superiority of a particular political system.As a result, the launch rocket "Vostok" with a man on board had confused the ambitious plans of competitors.

Development "Mercury" started in "Mc Donnell Douglas" in 1958.April 25, 1961, the first launch of an unmanned vehicle on a suborbital trajectory, and May 5 - the first manned flight of astronaut A. Shepard - also on a suborbital trajectory of 15 minutes.Only February 20, 1962, ten months after the flight, Gagarin, the first orbital flight (3 turns lasting about 5 hours) astronaut John Glenn on board the "Frendshir-7."For suborbital flights used booster "Redstone" and orbital - "Atlas-D."By that time the Soviet Union was an active day flight into space Titov aboard the "Vostok-2".

Features habitable modules

«East" - a rocket to the future

addition to the five test launches of ships of this type were committed six manned flights.In the future, based on the "East" created ships series "Sunrise" in the triple and double options, as well as satellites fotorazvedchik "Zenith".

Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite into space the Earth and a spaceship with a man on board.Initially, the world adopted the word "satellite" and "cosmonaut", but over time they were replaced by foreign English-language "satellite" and "astronaut."

Conclusion

space rocket "Vostok" made it possible for mankind to open the new reality - get off the ground and reach for the stars.Despite repeated attempts to downplay the significance of flying the world's first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin April 12, 1961, this event will never fade, because it is one of the most striking landmarks throughout the history of civilization.