50 Years Ago: Luna 9 on the Moon

Soviet Luna IX Lunar Probe.

This February marks the 50th anniversary of a great achievement for Soviet Russia's moon program. Back on February 3, 1966, the Russians successfully directed the Luna IX Moon Probe towards the lunar surface. The Molniya-M rocket carrying the probe left Earth on January 31. Using nitrogen-powered thrusters, the spacecraft commenced spinning for thermal control, and the fourth stage propelled the craft into a lunar interception orbit.

Lander segment process art.

At 16 miles from the surface, the craft began retro-rocket firings to slow its descent. When the probe reached 16 feet above the surface the lander capsule was ejected, and when on the surface it deployed its landing petals for orientation and began taking pictures.

One of the first images from the surface of the Moon.

The lander began sending the images back to Earth about 7 hours later. Interestingly, the Soviets delayed releasing the images, but meanwhile in England, scientists at the Jodrell Observatory where able to print the images and get them to the papers. There is some speculation that the inclusion of standard press-type Radiofax imagers on the probe may have been intended to help the Observatory prepare the images for release anyway.

Olympic Torch part of ISS History

The new Olympic Torch . TMA-11M crew. NASA Credit.

Expedition 38 Crewmembers (L-R): FLight Engineer Koichi Wakata (Japan), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin (Russia), Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio (USA).

In preparation for the Summer Olympic games of 2014, to be held in Russia, The Russian SPace Agency has sent a famous piece of equipment into space. The Olympic Torch, which will ignite the fires at the Games in 2014, accompanied the crew of Soyuz TMA-11M to the ISS for a magic moment.

Cosmonaut Oleg Kotov holds up the Olympic Torch during Saturday's Spacewalk.

On Saturday, cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergei Ryazanskiy performed a 5-hour EVA to complete some maintenance items outside the stage. They also took the Olympic Torch outside into space for a brief ceremony outside the Russian-built Pirs module. Once completed, they placed the torch back into the airlock and began to work on the maintenance tasks. The 8th spacewalk of the year, this was the 4th EVA for Kotov and the first for Ryazanskiy. It was the 178th EVA performed on the station.

After completion of the spacewalk, the torch was placed in the Soyuz TMA-09M which would bring the torch back to Earth on the weekend.

50 Years Ago: First Woman in Space!

Cosmonaut Valentina Tershkovova

Fifty years ago today, the Soviet Union took another leap forward in launching the first woman into space aboard Vostok 6. Valentina Tereshkova also became the first civilian to fly into space. She also saved her space mission!

Launch of Vostok 6 from Baikonur.

I've read in several accounts that the original mission goal was to have two women in space at the same time in Vostok 5 and 6, making a rendezvous, but that plan changed and instead Valery Bykovsky piloted the previous craft into orbit. Two days after that launch, Tereshkova lifted off in Vostok 6, and she made radio contact with Bykovsky after she reached orbit. Near the beginnings of the flight, Tereshkova made a discovery that there was an error in the descent program which would have caused the craft to ascend in orbit instead of descend. After she informed this to the Russian flight control, the engineers sent up correct instructions to Tereshkova, which she entered into the navigation program, thus saving her from problems during deorbit. This event was kept a secret until 2004.

Artist image of Vostok 6.

Keeping contact with Vostok 5 by radio, Tershkova flew within several miles of Bykovsky. Encyclopedia Astronautica has an interesting account by Tereshkova of what her mission was like, including an unfortunate event caused by eating food that was not very good: http://www.astronautix.com/flights/vostok6.htm

Vostok 6 on the ground.

After re-entry, according to procedures, Tershkova ejected from the capsule and parachuted to the ground separate from the capsule chutes. They landed nearby each other, but she was stuck on her back in the ejection couch until rescuers reached her by plane and parachuted down to assist. 

Vostok 6 capsule on display.

Vostok 6 was the last mission using the Vostok 3KA spacecraft. The capsule is on display at the RKK Energia Museum in Korolyev.

Stamp and cover of mission.

Various stamps of the Joint Mission.

50 Years Ago: Vostok 5 begins Joint MIssion

Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky of Vostok 5.

On June 14, 1963 the Soviet Union launched Vostok 5 from Baikonur. This mission was a joint mission similar to Vostok 3 and 4, which made a close approach. Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky in his spacecraft would attempt a close pass of Vostok 6 which would shortly launch.

Mission patch for Vostok 5 and Vostok 6.

As with the other Vostok missions, the cosmonaut was the single occupant of the spacecraft. The Vostok 5 mission was expected to last 8 days. The second spacecraft, Vostok 6 was scheduled for launch on June 16.

Model of a Vostok spacecraft. The spherical module separates from the service module for a parachute ride back into the Soviet Union.

Things did not go as planned for the mission.  Increased levels of solar activity presented a radiation danger for anyone staying up for a long time, and there was a problem with the waste collection machinery. No doubt Valery detected a new odor in space. However, being the professional pilot that he was, Valery maintained his flight duties and was finally recalled to return to Earth after 82 orbits. Although shorter than planned, to this day it remains the longest duration flight of a single occupant spacecraft, setting a record and putting America farther behind in the space race.

Valery Bykovsky.

For his mission, Bykovsky was awarded "Hero of the Soviet Union," Russia's highest honor. He would eventually reach the rank of Major General of the Soviet Air Force. He was later scheduled to fly on the Soyuz 2 mission. Remarkably, after the accident with Soyuz 1, the mission was postponed, and it was discovered that the craft had the same problem as the first one. If he had flown the Soyuz 2 mission before alterations, he would have perished.

Soviet cover with stamps commemorating the Vostok 5/6 missions.

Another stamp cover of the missions,