Statue of the Soviet/Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Mikhaylovich Komarov (1927-1967) at Cosmonauts Alley in Moscow, Russia
Image details
Contributor:
DE ROCKER / Alamy Stock PhotoImage ID:
FFHED8File size:
36.4 MB (1.2 MB Compressed download)Releases:
Model - no | Property - noDo I need a release?Dimensions:
2912 x 4368 px | 24.7 x 37 cm | 9.7 x 14.6 inches | 300dpiDate taken:
23 April 2009Location:
Cosmonauts Alley, Monument to the Conquerors, Prospekt Mira 111, Moscow, Russia, Eastern EuropeMore information:
Vladimir Mikhaylovich Komarov (16 March 1927 - 24 April 1967) was a Soviet test pilot, aerospace engineer and cosmonaut in the first group of cosmonauts selected in 1960. He was one of the most highly experienced and well-qualified candidates accepted into Air Force Group One. Komarov was declared medically unfit for training or spaceflight twice while he was in the program, but his perseverance and superior skills and his knowledge as an engineer allowed him to continue playing an active role. During his time at the Cosmonaut Training Center, he contributed to space vehicle design, cosmonaut training and evaluation and public relations. He was eventually selected to command the first Soviet multi-man Voskhod 1 spaceflight that presented a number of technical innovations in the Space Race. Komarov was later chosen for the rigorous task of commanding Soyuz 1 as part of the Soviet Union's bid to reach the Moon first. His spaceflight on Soyuz 1 made him the first Soviet cosmonaut to fly into outer space more than once, and he became the first human to die on a space mission - he was killed when the Soyuz 1 space capsule crashed after re-entry on 24 April 1967 due to a parachute failure. However, because he died when the capsule crashed into the ground, he is not considered to be the first human fatality in outer space.