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Soviet “Space Bus” Hurtles Through Space

Oct. 13, 1964 - The Soviet Union’s giant “space bus” hurtled into its second day in record-high orbit early today while its three passengers — a pilot, a scientist, and a doctor — took turns sleeping and sending back information on the historic flight to Soviet technicians on the ground.

A powerful new Soviet booster rocketed Voskhod (Sunrise) — the world’s first spaceship to carry more than one man — into orbit at 10:30 a.m. Moscow time yesterday. The feat indicated a strong Soviet lead over the U.S. in the race to the moon.

Shortly after dawn, Voskhod radioed that all systems were functioning smoothly. “Hygienic conditions in the cabin are normal,” the broadcast said, but it was noted that the latest data showed the cabin was heating up while the humidity was declining. This, some observers said, may lead to a shorter time aloft for the space bus, although official announcements indicated the trio were out to beat the previous orbiting marathon of five days.

The spacecraft is described by the Russians as a “cosmic laboratory” which has as a key object the study of medical reactions in conditions of prolonged flight.

The commander was guitar-strumming Col. Vladimir Komarov, 37, who had been grounded previously by an irregular heartbeat.

With him was a chess-playing intellectual, scientist Konstantin Feoktistov, 38, and a boyish space doctor, Boris Yegorov, 27.

U.S. space chief James E. Webb hailed the Soviet achievement as significant and called it “a clear indication that the Soviets are entering a large space program for the achievement of national power and prestige.” But he added:

“If a speedup in our program should be indicated, we are in a position to move faster.”

The U.S. still hopefully plans early next year to put up a two-man Gemini spacecraft. The next step, still two years away, but bigger and better than anything yet demonstrated by the “Voskhod,” is the three-man Apollo program, designed to land U.S. astronauts on the moon.

Webb pointed out that the Saturn V — scheduled to hurl the Apollo spacecraft into orbit around the moon in 1968 — is “the U.S. bid for space supremacy in manned operations.”



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