Cosmonaut Crashed Into Earth 'Crying In Rage'

krashkart · 03-18-11, 02:48 PM

I'm only on page 2 of this story. There were some terrible prices to pay during the space race, and this was one that must have really sucked.

m.npr.org/news/front/134597833

Quote:

Russayev asked, Why not refuse? According to the authors, Komarov answered: "If I don't make this flight, they'll send the backup pilot instead." That was Yuri Gagarin. Vladimir Komarov couldn't do that to his friend. "That's Yura," the book quotes him saying, "and he'll die instead of me. We've got to take care of him." Komarov then burst into tears.

On launch day, April 23, 1967, a Russian journalist, Yaroslav Golovanov, reported that Gagarin showed up at the launch site and demanded to be put into a spacesuit, though no one was expecting him to fly. Golovanov called this behavior "a sudden caprice," though afterward some observers thought Gagarin was trying to muscle onto the flight to save his friend. The Soyuz left Earth with Komarov on board.

Once the Soyuz began to orbit the Earth, the failures began. Antennas didn't open properly. Power was compromised. Navigation proved difficult. The next day's launch had to be canceled. And worse, Komarov's chances for a safe return to Earth were dwindling fast.

CCIP · 03-18-11, 04:05 PM

A sad and dramatic true story. The friendship between Gagarin and Komarov is particularly touching - you can tell they cared about each other. This also goes a long way towards explaining the real shift in Gagarin's character in his later years, culminating in the crash which many still claim essentially amounted to suicide. He carried an enormous burden of frustration in the years after his space flight.

August · 03-18-11, 06:18 PM

Salute to all members of the human race who have slipped the bonds of mother earth and ventured to the edge of mans last frontier.

bookworm_020 · 03-18-11, 07:04 PM

The Russians in particular, showed great courage in going up in ships they knew that weren't ready and still had major issues. Gagarin was lucky to make it back to earth alive. Alexey Leonov almost didn't make it back into Voskhod 2 at the end of his space walk.

03-18-11, 08:02 PM

Anytime you go where few dare?
You are aware of the risks.
ParaTroopers do that everyday of thier lives.
As do all the Guys that are ready to ride a freaking firecracker into Space!
Going up is probably the easy part.
Going down can really, really SUCK!

the_tyrant · 03-18-11, 08:10 PM

there is a lesser know conspiracy theory regarding the space race related to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Cosmonauts

03-18-11, 04:05 PM	#2
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	A sad and dramatic true story. The friendship between Gagarin and Komarov is particularly touching - you can tell they cared about each other. This also goes a long way towards explaining the real shift in Gagarin's character in his later years, culminating in the crash which many still claim essentially amounted to suicide. He carried an enormous burden of frustration in the years after his space flight. __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)

03-18-11, 06:18 PM	#3
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,197 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Salute to all members of the human race who have slipped the bonds of mother earth and ventured to the edge of mans last frontier. __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

03-18-11, 07:04 PM	#4
bookworm_020 Navy Seal Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sinking ships off the Australian coast Posts: 5,966 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	The Russians in particular, showed great courage in going up in ships they knew that weren't ready and still had major issues. Gagarin was lucky to make it back to earth alive. Alexey Leonov almost didn't make it back into Voskhod 2 at the end of his space walk. __________________ "There is always one person in any organization who knows whats going on, That person must be fired"

03-18-11, 08:10 PM	#6
the_tyrant Admiral Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 2,272 Downloads: 58 Uploads: 0	there is a lesser know conspiracy theory regarding the space race related to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Cosmonauts __________________ My own open source project on Sourceforge OTP.net KGB grade encryption for the rest of us

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03-18-11, 08:02 PM	#5
Madox58 Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Anytime you go where few dare? You are aware of the risks. ParaTroopers do that everyday of thier lives. As do all the Guys that are ready to ride a freaking firecracker into Space! Going up is probably the easy part. Going down can really, really SUCK!