Voshkod/Gemini Mission Essay

Kenneth Satterlee 7/10/2011

This mission is a fine example of the Russian-American space race and in this case the Russians were ahead of Americans by launching the first multi-manned space craft and performing the first walk in space. The Voshkod actually consisted of two ships based on a similar design and was intended to spawn more renditions but was replaced by the Soyuz project. Voshkod 1 consisted of a three man crew of Col. Vladimir Komarov who was the pilot; Konstantin Feoktistov a scientist; and Boris Yegorov a physician. This mission posed as a great threat to America because the televised footage of these three men performing experiments in space let the world know that the Russians were in the lead. Voshkod 2, which consisted of new modifications to eliminate errors discovered on the Voshkod 1, once again blew America out of the water by completing the first walk in space. Consisting of only a two man crew, Colonel Pavel Belyayev and Lt. Colonel Aleksey Leonov, Leonov successfully stepped out of the vehicle and after 10 minutes of floating around he returned to the vessel. After this brief success complications began pouring in. The shuttle door used to step outside would no longer seal when Leonov returned. This caused the environmental system to flood the cabin with oxygen creating a fire hazard where the oxygen could ignite during re-entry. After a few more auto system failures the pilots were able to manually over ride the systems and crash land in the Ural Mountains and await rescue. The Gemini project was Americas space program trying to oppose the Russians Voshkod missions. Using Modifications from the Mercury project, Gemini project consisted of 12 separate launches, two unmanned tests and ten manned missions, with the intent to send men into orbit for 2 weeks. After the second Gemini mission the craft was deemed man-rated after a proper test of the propulsion system and the integrity of the heat shield on reentry. Gradually the Gemini missions were able to keep man in orbit for longer and longer periods of time. Gemini 5 completed the first orbit of 8 days finally putting America ahead of the Russians in the great space race. Gemini 6 consisted of errors that did not lead to disaster but just pushed for 6 to sit and let 7 take over. Gemini 7 was capable to stay in orbit for 14 days and the two week orbit objective was complete. The Gemini shuttles to follow (8-12) were now focused on ship to ship rendezvous and docking of one ship to another or to an Agena. After several attempts and recalculations it was determined that both rendezvous and docking were not just feasible but successful. America was winning.