The Spacecraft That Took Humanity to Stars

Name: The Spacecraft That Took Humanity to Stars
Uploaded: 2026-04-12T15:34+0000
Duration: 54 s
Description: Vostok, also called model 3KA, was the first Soviet series of crewed spacecraft developed by Experimental Design Bureau 1 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev between 1958 and 1963 for missions in low Earth orbit.

15:34 GMT, 12 April 2026

Vostok, also called model 3KA, was the first Soviet series of crewed spacecraft developed by Experimental Design Bureau 1 under the leadership of Sergei Korolev between 1958 and 1963 for missions in low Earth orbit.

Sputnik

On April 12 1961, Vostok-1 carried Yuri Gagarin on the first-ever human spaceflight.

Launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the cosmonaut spent 108 minutes in space, completing one orbit around Earth before safely returning.

The spacecraft measured 4.3 meters in length, with a maximum diameter of 2.43 meters and a launch weight of 4,725kg. It was designed for a single crewmember and missions lasting up to 10 days.