Korabl-Sputnik 1, also known in the West as Sputnik 4, was launched on May 15, 1960, from Baikonur. It was the first flight of the Soviet Vostok spacecraft program and an important precursor to the human Vostok missions. NASA's historical records identify it as the first spacecraft in the Vostok test series.
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| A Korabl-Sputnik 1 launch cover, postmarked in Kiev on May 15, 1960, marking the first test flight of the Soviet Vostok spacecraft. |
The spacecraft was an early Vostok 1P/1KP prototype, designed primarily to test systems required for future human spaceflight. It carried scientific instruments, a television system, and a self-contained biological cabin with a mannequin to evaluate the life-support system and stresses encountered during flight. It transmitted extensive telemetry and prerecorded voice messages.
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| A First Day Cover for the Korabl-Sputnik 1 stamp. |
After approximately four days in orbit, the retrorocket was fired to begin the return to Earth. However, the spacecraft was incorrectly oriented when the maneuver was performed. As a result, the descent module did not enter the atmosphere as planned. Instead of making a controlled reentry, the spacecraft remained in orbit.
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| Photo: A piece of metal believed to be from Sputnik 4, discovered in the middle of North 8th Street in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on September 5, 1962, following the spacecraft’s reentry./td> |
Korabl-Sputnik 1 eventually remained in orbit for more than two years. The descent module reentered the atmosphere in September 1962, while the separate equipment module remained in orbit until October 1965. One remarkable consequence was the discovery of a piece of the spacecraft in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, on September 5, 1962. A roughly 20-pound (9 kg) fragment of the descent module fell into the city, reportedly landing in the middle of North 8th Street. The debris was subsequently identified as being from the Soviet spacecraft.
