Freethought & Rationalism Archive

B. H. Manners · 09-10-2002, 06:40 PM

Hello,

I remember reading somewhere that the Russians had actually sent a man into space before Gagarin, who was either killed up in space or died coming back. Has anyone else read anything about this?

Abacus · 09-10-2002, 07:21 PM

I've never heard this before. Where did you read this?

Of course, if their first attempt had failed in such a way, I doubt they would have informed the world.

enigma555 · 09-10-2002, 07:25 PM

IIRC I saw something to that effect on a History Channel special.

Dan828 · 09-10-2002, 09:57 PM

Read this--

<a href="http://www.astronautix.com/articles/phapart1.htm" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/articles/phapart1.htm</a>

It sounds like the pre-Gragarin fatalities are nothing so much as urban legend. Note that Soyuz-1 and Soyuz-11 did have fatalities (post Gragarin), but neither one was covered up.

B. H. Manners · 09-11-2002, 02:34 AM

Thanks Dan828. I am glad it was just an urban legend.

Stephen T-B · 09-11-2002, 05:54 AM

THe Soviet Union was like God and the British Royal Family in that you could say anything about it without fear of contradiction.

enigma555 · 09-11-2002, 11:18 AM

It's odd that when you're thinking about something, things related to it jump to the forefront...

I was shuffling through the Engineering Library before class today, and noticed that the February issue of "Spaceflight" had an article about this. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to read the entire thing, but the article lists the various reports about pre-Gagarin flights, and sifts out the facts from the fiction.

If there were any Cosmonaut fatalities prior to Gagarin, they were not in space or reentry. Gagarin was the first man in space.

Valentine Pontifex · 09-12-2002, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dan828:
<strong>Read this--

<a href="http://www.astronautix.com/articles/phapart1.htm" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/articles/phapart1.htm</a>

It sounds like the pre-Gragarin fatalities are nothing so much as urban legend. Note that Soyuz-1 and Soyuz-11 did have fatalities (post Gragarin), but neither one was covered up.</strong>

Of course the reason why these were not covered up was simple: it was impossible to do so. Like the case of the three who died on the return to the Earth because of loss of air and they were not wearing spacesuits. The Soviets when back to two-man capsules for years after that one.

They did cover up an explosion of a rocket that was being prepared to send a man around the Moon. They were rushing to beat Apollo 8. It blew up largely because of the rushing killing a lot of people on the ground. This was never admitted until Glasnos (spelling?).

elwoodblues · 09-12-2002, 11:16 PM

Quote:

This was never admitted until Glasnos (spelling?).

Close enough; I think it's spelled 'Glasnost'.

JohnR · 09-13-2002, 12:18 AM

<a href="http://www.spacetoday.org/History/ManInSpaceFirsts/Deaths.html" target="_blank">Deaths in space found here.</a>
I can't believe there wasn't more deaths.

09-10-2002, 06:40 PM	#1
B. H. Manners Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 1,213	A Question About Soviet Man in Space Hello, I remember reading somewhere that the Russians had actually sent a man into space before Gagarin, who was either killed up in space or died coming back. Has anyone else read anything about this?

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09-10-2002, 07:21 PM	#2
Abacus Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: South Dakota Posts: 2,214	I've never heard this before. Where did you read this? Of course, if their first attempt had failed in such a way, I doubt they would have informed the world.

09-10-2002, 07:25 PM	#3
enigma555 Regular Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 282	IIRC I saw something to that effect on a History Channel special.

09-10-2002, 09:57 PM	#4
Dan828 Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Davis, CA USA Posts: 83	Read this-- <a href="http://www.astronautix.com/articles/phapart1.htm" target="_blank">http://www.astronautix.com/articles/phapart1.htm</a> It sounds like the pre-Gragarin fatalities are nothing so much as urban legend. Note that Soyuz-1 and Soyuz-11 did have fatalities (post Gragarin), but neither one was covered up.

09-11-2002, 02:34 AM	#5
B. H. Manners Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 1,213	Thanks Dan828. I am glad it was just an urban legend.

09-11-2002, 05:54 AM	#6
Stephen T-B Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Leeds, UK Posts: 5,878	THe Soviet Union was like God and the British Royal Family in that you could say anything about it without fear of contradiction.

09-11-2002, 11:18 AM	#7
enigma555 Regular Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 282	It's odd that when you're thinking about something, things related to it jump to the forefront... I was shuffling through the Engineering Library before class today, and noticed that the February issue of "Spaceflight" had an article about this. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to read the entire thing, but the article lists the various reports about pre-Gagarin flights, and sifts out the facts from the fiction. If there were any Cosmonaut fatalities prior to Gagarin, they were not in space or reentry. Gagarin was the first man in space.

09-13-2002, 12:18 AM	#10
JohnR Senior Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Eastern PNW Posts: 572	<a href="http://www.spacetoday.org/History/ManInSpaceFirsts/Deaths.html" target="_blank">Deaths in space found here.</a> I can't believe there wasn't more deaths.

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