Was Gagarin really the first man in space?

[wackyscot]

Wackyscot, that's correct Yuri Gagarin was 370 miles off target and even as he landed things went wrong - he had trouble opening the air vent on his helmet and his spare parachute opened unnecessarily. The fact that Gagarin ejected and landed with a parachute, rather than remaining inside the capsule until touchdown was kept a secret.

I'm sure I heard that on a Sky at Night prog, or some documetary a couple of years ago. The Truth is Out There

David

[blackparticle]

The only "problem" I have with this story, is why General Ilyushin won't come forward today and claim he was first in space.

Unfortunately he died on March 1st, 2010.

And yes, I think as a proud man he didn't deem it necessary the world know the truth as to him, it was not relevant. Knowing the truth within is often much more important than others knowing the truth.

The is also the slightly more sinister possibility that they put him in charge of the Gagarin Mig-15 crash investigation to 'remind' him of what would happen if he did go against the party line.

There is also another possibility that Illyushin himself wasn't the first to orbit the earth either... just the first to survive.

There is another documentary called "Fallen Idol - The Yuri Gagarin Conspiracy" (I'll try and find a link to the full doc)

[Earl]

It was a very interesting documentary and I would say that it may not be 100% accurate but it does show that the Russians were very secretive about mishaps and failures which is to be expected I think the US Space program was far more open about its accidents, but im sure it has skeletons in its cabinet also.

[Superewza]

Didn't the UK have a space project running on the Isle of Wight? I am sure I saw something on BBC2 which showed a complex where rocket engines were developed and tested. I don't think there was any ambition to launch manned craft, but I am pretty sure the Black Arrow programme went through all of the test phases on British soil.

Wasn't the space project running on the Isle of Wight the HOTOL program? Therin lies a whole other conspiracy - apparently the leader of the project said that his lab was raided in the middle of the night and all important documents were taken. Some think it was to do with the 'Special Relationship' with the Americans, and Regan not wanting the UK to have competitive shuttle capability.

Black Arrow testing on British soil would make sense, since most of the missile technology it used was already there.

[Macavity]

Whatever the veracity and the source of this one, it's hard not to be moved by:

US intercepted Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov's final words of rage | Mail Online

As I remember being so, on my earliest clear memory of manned spaceflight...

[Depraved]

I find all this rather sad. The really offensive part in all this is that the so called leaders who sent these brave men to their deaths went back to their families everyday and enjoyed a rich and prosperous life.

[Simms]

While I agree that we (the UK) didn't, I would say that as we launched our stuff from Australia we'd not have had to have hidden it in the UK! The original plan to build our launch site on the North Norfolk coast was dropped after the development of North Sea gas platforms. It was felt to be bad form to risk dropping failed rockets on them!

Health and Safety laws gone mad!

[blackparticle]

I can think of at least one good use for defunct North Sea oil and gas platforms next decade when it all starts to run dry.

[Superewza]

Whatever the veracity and the source of this one, it's hard not to be moved by:

US intercepted Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov's final words of rage | Mail Online

As I remember being so, on my earliest clear memory of manned spaceflight...

Ah yes, the ever reputable, well respected source of unbiased journalism that is the Daily Mail. Oh, wait...

[mag10]

"...There is another documentary called "Fallen Idol - The Yuri Gagarin Conspiracy" (I'll try and find a link to the full doc)."

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for your post.

Fascinating stuff.

[bigglesdad]

There's a Buran sat in a scrap yard in Bahrain. The Russians took it there for a middle east aerospace show about the time of the end of communism and then didn't have the money to bring it back. It was left there. I know cos I've got the pictures of me in the cockpit in 2004. It's complete with instruments and all. Such a waste.

[blackparticle]

There's a Buran sat in a scrap yard in Bahrain. The Russians took it there for a middle east aerospace show about the time of the end of communism and then didn't have the money to bring it back. It was left there. I know cos I've got the pictures of me in the cockpit in 2004. It's complete with instruments and all. Such a waste.

Was it the "Analog Buran"? I think that's the one that is now in the Technik Museum in Germany.

It would be good to see those pics.

[RedCoat]

Yes, that was the Analog Buran and has now (finally) been rescued. There are two more somewhere out in the old USSR that were never finished, but still just about exist, an almost complete example in store and the only one that went into space is buried under the rubble of its hangar.

[Earl]

It is obvious that the Russians were not financial able to conduct the space program they wanted, imo that was kind of the whole point of a lot of things during the cold war, to bring Russia financially to its knees.

Space race and Arms race were not exactly a million miles apart.

[Ags]

The Russians started Buran in a panic, believing the American hype that the shuttle would slash the costs of getting into space. They had alarming visions of giant american battlestations in orbit, constructed by the oh-so-cheap shuttles. Once the true cost and (im)practicalities of shuttles became apparent, there was no point in pursuing Buran.

[Macavity]

Ah yes, the ever reputable, well respected source of unbiased journalism that is the Daily Mail. Oh, wait...

I was making a point re. events I CAN REMEMBER - Or at least, as they were reported at the time. And my genuine feeling of sorrow still. "Clever" though your response is, please don't turn my post into something it wasn't.