Human Spaceflights

International Flight No. 6

Vostok 4

Berkut

USSR

Patch Vostok 4

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Launch, orbit and landing data

Launch date:  12.08.1962
Launch time:  08:02 UTC
Launch site:  Baikonur
Launch pad:  1
Altitude:  179,8 - 236,7 km
Inclination:  64,95°
Landing date:  15.08.1962
Landing time:  06:59 UTC
Landing site:  48° 10' N, 71° 51' E

walkout photo

Pavel Popovich

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alternate photo

Crew

No.   Surname Given names Position Flight No. Duration Orbits
1 USSR  Popovich  Pavel Romanovich  Pilot Cosmonaut 1 2d 22h 57m  48 

Crew seating arrangement

1  Popovich
Vostok

1st Double Crew

No.   Surname Given names Position
1 USSR  Komarov  Vladimir Mikhailovich  Pilot Cosmonaut
Vladimir Komarov

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2nd Double Crew

No.   Surname Given names Position
1 USSR  Volynov  Boris Valentinovich  Pilot Cosmonaut
Boris Volynov

Flight

Launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome; landing 193 km southwest of Karaganda.

The first time that more than one manned spacecraft were in orbit at the same time. Rendezvous flight with Vostok 3 at time. Both spacecrafts came close to 5 km (visibility), although the Vostok capsules had no maneuvering capability. They quickly drifted apart. Popovich had problems with his life support system, resulting in the cabin temperature dropping to 10 degrees Centigrade with 35% humidity conditions. But he still managed to conduct several experiments, and further improve the space ship systems, communications (spaceship ground control and from spaceship to spaceship), guidance and landing. His work included taking colour motion pictures of the terminator between night and day and of the cabin interior.

Popovich had been briefed to tell ground control that he was 'observing thunderstorms' if he felt the motion sickness that had plagued Titov and would have needed to return. The problem was that he actually saw real thunderstorms over the Gulf of Mexico, a fatal misunderstanding that caused him to land one day earlier than planned.

Photos / Drawings

Vostok spaceship Vostok rocket
Vostok reentry Vostok 4 on launch pad
Popovich on launch pad Popovich during flight

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Last update on January 15, 2012.

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