Description
Romania #1898 (1967) – Voskhod 2
Voskhod 2 was a Soviet manned space mission that took place in March 1965. It was the world’s first mission to involve a spacewalk, also known as extravehicular activity (EVA). Here are the key details about the Voskhod 2 mission:
- Launch Date:
- Voskhod 2 was launched on March 18, 1965.
- Cosmonauts:
- The crew consisted of Commander Pavel Belyayev and Pilot Alexey Leonov.
- Spacewalk (EVA):
- The primary objective of the mission was to conduct a spacewalk, and Alexey Leonov became the first person to walk in space.
- Leonov spent about 12 minutes outside the spacecraft, connected to it by a 5.35-meter (17.5-foot) tether.
- Spacewalk Challenges:
- The spacewalk presented several challenges, including Leonov’s spacesuit inflating to the point where he had difficulty re-entering the airlock. He had to partially depressurize his suit to get back inside.
- Orbit and Duration:
- Voskhod 2 completed 17 orbits around the Earth during its mission.
- The total mission duration was approximately 26 hours.
- Return to Earth:
- The Voskhod 2 spacecraft successfully returned to Earth on March 19, 1965.
- Legacy:
- Voskhod 2 was a significant achievement in the history of space exploration, showcasing the capability of humans to work outside their spacecraft in the vacuum of space.
- The experience gained from this mission contributed to the development of future spacewalk procedures and equipment.
The Voskhod program, which included several manned missions, played a crucial role in advancing Soviet space capabilities during the 1960s.