II. Space Exploration
After World War II the United States and the Soviet Union understood that rocket research was very important for science. Top rocket scientists helped them with their research. Soon both countries made very big progress in rocket technology and wanted to launch satellites into orbit. A lot of time and money was spent on the project.
Sergei Korolev, the Chief Designer managed The Soviet Space program, based on ideas of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the father of astronautics. In 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik 1, the world’s first satellite. The launch of Sputnik 1 was successful, which made the USSR the leader of space research of that time.
Next year in 1958 the U.S. launched its own satellite, Explorer I, made by the U.S. Army.
1. First Animals in Space
On August 19, 1960, the Soviet Union launched the Sputnik 5 with 40 mice, two rats, a rabbit, some fruit flies, plants—and a pair of dogs, Belka ("Whitey") and Strelka ("Little Arrow.") All passengers survived. Belka and Strelka were the first living creatures to go into orbit and return back. The success of this flight allowed the USSR to send a human into space less than a year later.
Soon after that, Belka and Strelka became heroes of cartoons and Russia's first 3-D animated film, "Belka and Strelka, Star Dogs," released that year. Both dogs are now on display at the Museum of Cosmonautics in Moscow.
2. First Humans in Space
On 12 April 1961 the Vostok 1 spaceship was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome. Aboard the ship was Yury Gagarin, the first human to travel into space. The following dialogue happened between Gagarin and Korolev at the moment of rocket launch:
Korolev: LIFT-OFF! We wish you a good flight. Everything's all right.
Gagarin: Off we go! Goodbye, see you soon, dear friends.
Gagarin used the informal phrase Poyekhali! (Поехали!, 'Off we go!') which later became very popular.
Gagarin's flight was a success for the Soviet space programme and he became a national hero and one of the most popular people in the world. Newspapers published his biography and details of his flight everywhere. He was escorted through the streets of Moscow to the Kremlin where, Nikita Khrushchev gave him the title “Hero of the Soviet Union”.
April 12 became Cosmonautics Day in the USSR, and is celebrated today in Russia.
3. First Woman in Space
Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova on June 16, 1963 aboard Vostok 6, became the first woman to travel into space. She returned to earth, having spent more time in space than all U.S. astronauts together by that date.
As a professional parachutist, Tereshkova was well prepared to meet all the challenges of a Vostok space flight. In February 1962, she and three other woman parachutists began their training to become cosmonauts.
On June 19, 1963 after three days in space, Tereshkova successfully parachuted to earth from 20,000 feet height.
After her historic space flight, Valentina Tereshkova was awarded the Order of Lenin and Hero of the Soviet Union.