Can you imagine? A spaceship spins out of control in space, an astronaut desperately in flames, and a nation falls silent in mourning. This is what happened on April 24, 1967, when the Soviet Union's Soyuz 1 spacecraft crashed on its return to Earth, and astronaut Vladimir Komarov became the first space hero to die in the history of human astronautics.
▲Komarov who underwent an inspection before takeoff
Komarov was one of the best Soviet cosmonauts and participated in the Vostok 4 mission. The Soyuz 1 spacecraft he piloted was a new type of spacecraft developed by the Soviet Union to achieve space docking, and it was originally planned to complete docking with the Soyuz II spacecraft in orbit. However, the tragedy was caused by a combination of serious design flaws and quality problems with the spacecraft, as well as the Soviet government's neglect of safety inspections in order to launch before the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution.
▲ Soyuz One
The Soyuz-1 spacecraft was launched in the early hours of April 23, 1967 at the Baikonur cosmodrome and was piloted by Komarov alone. It was also his second and final space flight. After the spacecraft entered orbit, various malfunctions began to occur, and the successive failures instantly put Komarov in a difficult situation. Only one of the solar panels was deployed, and the other was not deployed because of the failure, resulting in insufficient power and affecting the spacecraft's systems. The attitude control system failed, causing the spacecraft to be unable to remain stable, constantly spinning and shaking, and had deviated from its intended course. In addition, the communication system was intermittently interrupted, resulting in the ground being unable to receive data smoothly and send instructions to him.
▲Baikonur Cosmodrome
At this time, there was only one way in front of Komarov, and that was to return. A series of malfunctions of the spacecraft caused Komarov to operate the spacecraft manually, a very difficult and dangerous task that required precise calculations and operations. Komarov orbited the Earth 19 times, each of which was a challenge and ordeal. He constantly adjusted the direction and speed of the spacecraft, trying to find the best angle and timing. Fortunately, after several failed attempts, Komarov finally succeeded in aiming the spacecraft on the return route. After making all the preparations, Komarov used the intermittent communication system to report his position and status to the ground, while controlling the spacecraft into the atmosphere.
▲The tragic situation at the scene
After the spacecraft entered the atmosphere, the intense friction caused the temperature to rise rapidly. Flames and electric sparks appeared around the spacecraft, streaking across the sky like a shooting star. In this case, the spacecraft's heat shield did not fully protect the spacecraft from damage, and later investigations revealed that parts of the spacecraft were too hot, causing the metal to melt and deform. When the spacecraft was lowered to an altitude of 7 kilometers, Komarov pressed the button to release the parachute, hoping to buffer the speed of the spacecraft with the help of the parachute's resistance, and then land safely. But the parachute never worked. Komarov pressed several more times, still unresponsive. It turned out that due to a flaw in the design of the spacecraft, the release device of the main parachute was jammed, and the spare parachute was entangled with the small parachute. Komarov tried to call the ground for help by radio, but could only hear some noise and staccabata. He realized that he had no hope.
▲Remains
The crew compartment that was eventually burned crashed straight into the ground, and by the time nearby rescuers arrived, the entire crew compartment had been flattened, and the high temperature caused part of the metal shell to melt, and the metal liquid was still dripping. As for the pilot Komarov, only a charred remains were found. Subsequent investigations revealed significant design flaws and quality problems on Soyuz One. The Soyuz-1 spacecraft was a new type of spacecraft developed by the Soviet Union to achieve space docking, but there were still many problems in the design and manufacturing process. What's even more worrisome is that these problems were discovered before the accident, but were not solved in time.
The Soyuz 1 spacecraft underwent three unmanned tests prior to launch, Vostok 133 on November 28, 1966, Vostok 140 on February 7, 1967, and Soyuz 1A on April 8, 1967. All three tests encountered various failures and problems, including solar panels that could not be deployed, attitude control system failure, and communication system interruptions. Among them, the Vostok 133 mission and the Vostok 140 mission return module failed to return to Earth. The Soyuz 1A mission was cancelled directly due to a failed launch. These test results show that the Soyuz One spacecraft does not yet meet safe and reliable standards and needs more testing and refinement. However, no effective improvements and inspections were made before the accident. A post-accident investigation of the Soyuz One spacecraft revealed that a total of 203 design flaws had not been addressed before launch, and that many components had not undergone quality inspection.
▲ Soyuz spacecraft
Another important reason for the Soyuz 1 tragedy was the intervention and pressure of the Soviet government on the space program. The Soviet government wanted to demonstrate its scientific and technological prowess and political influence through its space program, overpowering it in the space race with the United States. In order to launch the Soyuz 1 spacecraft in time for the 100th anniversary of Lenin's birth on April 22, 1967, and before May Day, and to achieve the historic feat of docking with the Soyuz II spacecraft in orbit and exchanging astronauts, the Soviet government put a lot of pressure on the design department and the launch department, thereby ignoring safety issues, and as a result, the failure of Soyuz 1 caused the launch of Soyuz 2 to be interrupted, and the entire plan was completely ruined.
▲ The relationship between Komarov and Gagarin is very good, and Gagarin is the backup astronaut of this mission, Komarov knows the danger of this mission, but he feels that Gagarin has paid too much for this country, so he resolutely chose to carry out this mission
Before the accident, many people questioned and opposed the Soyuz One spacecraft. For example, the chief rocket designer of the Soviet Union, Vasily Mishnin, wrote to the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPSU that the Soyuz-1 spacecraft was not ready for launch and suggested that the launch be postponed. However, his proposal was rejected and he was accused of being "unpatriotic." Similarly, the chief cosmonaut of the Soviet Union, Yuri Gagarin, wrote to the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPSU that there were many problems with the Soyuz 1 spacecraft and asked him to carry out the mission in Komarov's place. However, he received no response and was banned from any activities related to Soyuz One.
▲ Komarov funeral, the Soviet government held a grand state funeral for him, and scattered ashes under the Kremlin wall
These voices of opposition were ignored or silenced by the Soviet government, and the Soyuz One mission was forcibly carried out at all costs. This also led directly to the end of Soyuz-1 and Komarov. Komarov once said: "I am not afraid of death, I am only afraid of not contributing." This statement reflected his passion and sense of responsibility for space exploration, and also inspired later space pioneers. They are not afraid of difficulties and dangers, constantly explore and innovate, and open up new fields and horizons for mankind. Their spirit deserves our admiration and learning. Space exploration is an eternal pursuit and challenge of mankind, which has both risks and costs, as well as gains and significance. It allows us to know ourselves and the universe, and allows us to transcend ourselves and the earth. What should we think about space exploration? How should we continue space exploration? These are questions that deserve our consideration and discussion.