Soviet Spacecrafts

Sputnik-1

Soyuz Spaceship

Buran space shuttle

Quiz

Sputnik-1

On the 4-th of October 1957 the Soviet Union made history by launching Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite (первый искусственный спутник). Scientists M.V. Keldysh, M.K. Tikhonravov, M.S. Ryazansky, O.G. Ivanovsky, N.S. Lidorenko, worked on the creation of an artificial Earth satellite, led by the founder of practical cosmonautics S.P. Korolev. A satellite is a machine that travels around the Earth in space. Sputnik was small and weighed only 83 kilograms. It was made of metal and had four long antennas. Sputnik’s job was simple: it sent a "beep-beep" signal that scientists could hear on radios all over the world. This sound proved that Sputnik was working and traveling in orbit. It stayed in space for three months before falling back to Earth. The launch of Sputnik started the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Soyuz Spaceship

The Soyuz spaceship is one of the most famous spacecraft in history. It was first launched by the Soviet Union in 1967. The word "Soyuz" means "union" in Russian. Soyuz was designed to carry astronauts, or cosmonauts, into space and bring them back safely. Soyuz is small but strong. It has three main parts: Orbital Module: where astronauts work and live. Descent Module: where astronauts return to Earth. Service Module: holds the equipment, like oxygen and power. For over 50 years, Soyuz has been very reliable. It has taken astronauts to space stations like Mir and the International Space Station (ISS). Even today, Soyuz is used to send astronauts to the ISS. Soyuz is special because it is safe and simple. It is used by astronauts from different countries, not just Russia. This makes it an important part of international space exploration.

Buranspace shuttle

The Buran space shuttle was the Soviet Union’s answer to the American Space Shuttle. It was designed to carry cargo and people into space and return safely to Earth. The Buran was launched for the first and only time on November 15, 1988. It flew into space without astronauts on board. The flight was a success, and the shuttle returned to Earth by itself, landing perfectly. The Buran looked similar to the American Space Shuttle, but it had some unique features. For example, it could fly automatically without a crew. It was also designed to carry heavy loads into space. Unfortunately, the Buran program was very expensive. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, there was no money to continue the project. The Buran shuttle was stored in a hangar, but it was destroyed when the roof collapsed in 2002.

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