Epic Rivalry by Von Hardesty

Author:Von Hardesty
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: National Geographic Society
Published: 2007-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

TITOV SCORES ANOTHER SOVIET VICTORY

The extraordinary success of Gagarin’s spaceflight set the stage for a second Soviet manned feat—the dramatic launch of German Titov, Gagarin’s backup, for an extended 17 orbits of the Earth. For the first time a human being would be in space for an entire day. The date for the space venture was set for August 1961, coming in the aftermath of America’s suborbital flights. If successful, the Titov mission would clearly demonstrate the Soviet Union’s superiority in manned spaceflight. The decision had not come without controversy. Several prominent physicians associated with space medicine had recommended only a triple-orbit mission, allowing Titov to fly five hours in space. However, Korolev pushed forcefully for the extended mission, arguing successfully that anything less would appear too cautious and incremental in character.66

A few external factors shaped the timing of the launch. Khrushchev, to the confusion of Korolev and his team, insisted that the launch take place before August 10. Only later did they realize that this date was not arbitrary, but linked to the construction of the Berlin Wall, scheduled to begin on August 13, a secret concealed from the team at Baikonur. At this juncture, Khrushchev had become an avid supporter of the space program and looked upon each successful mission as a propaganda opportunity. Space triumphs were now integral to Soviet foreign policy, a metaphor for the presumed superiority of a society shaped by Marxist-Leninist ideology. Given its strategic importance, the Soviet space program benefited from the largess of the state: Khrushchev had approved a massive outlay of funding for the Baikonur complex, design bureaus engaged in space-related research, and cosmonaut training—the entire costly infrastructure associated with space exploration.67

As with most men selected for the cosmonaut corps, Titov was young; he had entered the cosmonaut training at the age of 24. He differed dramatically from Gagarin, being more of an extrovert and outspoken on many issues. He often was restive with the rigors and demands of cosmonaut training. He was more sophisticated than most pilots, possessing wide intellectual interests beyond the narrow sphere of aerospace. He took a keen interest in the arts, expressed great admiration for the American writer Ernest Hemingway, enjoyed quoting long passages of poetry from memory, and displayed an inclination (as circumstances permitted) to discuss political issues. (In the 1990s, he became a member of the Russian Duma.) A native of the Altai region, Titov had an ethnic Russian background. Regarded by his peers as a gifted pilot, Titov’s military career, for the most part, had been conventional in nature: He graduated from the Kacha Higher Air Force School in 1957 and then entered active duty as a military pilot in the Leningrad area.68

As the pilot of the second Vostok mission, Titov set a new benchmark in manned space travel. His time in orbit, however, did not unfold without challenges. He lifted off from Baikonur at 9:00 a.m. on August 6, 1961. The Vostok 2 booster performed smoothly, inserting the spacecraft into orbit without mishap.

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