Soviet Cosmonautics: Questions and Answers [antikvár]

8FROM THE EDITORS*Sputnik I, the world's first artificial Earth satellite launched on October 4, 1957, ushered in the space age. April 12, 1961, was marked by another outstanding event in space exploration: the Soviet Union put into orbit the world's first manned Vostok spacecraft. Yuri Gagarin, citizen of the USSR, became world spaceman No. 1.Three decades have passed since Sputnik I blazed the trail to outer space. Even less time has passed since Yuri Gagarin circled the Earth. During this period no other field of science and technology has made such breathtaking progress as cosmonautics which includes man's exit into open space, the launching of multiseater spacecraft, rendezvous and docking of spacecraft, flights of reusable spacecraft, the setting up of permanent research laboratories in space, space flights lasting many months, transfer from one orbital station to another and back. The Moon is now being explored by means of automatic probes and manned spacecraft. Interplanetary stations have transmitted to Earth extensive information on Venus, Mars and other celestial bodies. The Soviet-American SATP Programme started cooperation in international manned space flights.Over 200 citizens of some 20 countries have been in outer space since Yuri Gagarin. Today we discuss large-scale space projects, such as laboratories and industries operating in near-Earth orbits which will be technically feasible before the end of the century. In his day Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, founder of cosmonautics, said that outer space would endow mankind with "boundless might". Now his prophetic words are coming true.