In all, six piloted missions were orbited, between 1961 and 1963, under the 'Vostok' programme name.
The Vostok spacecraft development programme included several orbital flights before Gagarin went into orbit, including a full dress rehearsal with dummy cosmonaut.
Following Laika (Sputnik 2) into space were several dogs as occupants of the Vostok development missions - the Korabl Sputniks or 'Spaceship Satellites'. Unlike with Laika, the object was to return the dogs from their missions, though this aim was not always achieved.
A short chronology of the Vostok and early Zenit programmes follows. A more complete history can be found in the "Zarya Diaries" - available from the right hand menu.
| Date |
Time (UTC) |
Event |
| 1958 Jan 1 |
|
Work begins in the Soviet Union on designing the vehicle which will become the piloted Vostok (3KA) and Voskhod (3KV & 3KD) spacecraft, and the recoverable Zenit (2K) photo-reconnaissance satellite |
| 1958 Nov 1 |
00:00 |
The Soviet government approves development of the Vostok and Zenit spacecraft |
| 1960 Jan 11 |
|
USSR Government establishes a Cosmonaut Training Centre |
| 1960 Mar 1 |
|
The Soviet Union first group of 20 space flight trainees reports to the Cosmonaut Training Centre |
| 1960 May 15 |
00:00 |
Korabl Sputnik 1 (1KP-1), English - "Spaceship-Satellite", a Vostok/Zenit prototype, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into approx 320 x 360 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination - the purpose of the flight is to verify spacecraft systems and onboard there is mass to simulate the presence of a cosmonaut, on this mission, there is no heat shield and the cabin is not intended to be recovered |
| 1960 May 18 |
23:52 |
Having aligned itself for retrofire, Korabl Sputnik 1 ignites its retro-rocket but an error means that it is pointing 180 degrees away from the correct direction and the spacecraft orbit is boosted to an orbit of 278 x 689 kilometres - its cabin section then separates from the instrument unit and remains in orbit for a further five years |
| 1960 Jul 28 |
07:12 |
Korabl Sputnik (1K-1) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket aimed towards a low orbit around the Earth at 65 degrees inclination, it carries the dogs Chaika and Lisichka - the rocket explodes shortly after lift-off and the craft is destroyed |
| 1960 Aug 19 |
08:44 |
Korabl Sputnik 2 (1K-2) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 297 x 324 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination - it's purpose is continued testing of Vostok's systems, it carries two dogs: Strelka and Belka, and other biological specimens including plants, rats and mice |
| 1960 Aug 20 |
10:20 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 2 retro-rocket fires |
| 1960 Aug 20 |
10:50 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 2 ejector mechanism operates as a test for the Vostok ejector seat, and the container carrying Strelka and Belka continues descent under a parachute |
| 1960 Aug 20 |
11:02 |
Korabl Sputnik 2 experiments container lands - the spacecraft touches down nearby at about the same time |
| 1960 Dec 1 |
07:26 |
Korabl Sputnik 3 (1K-3) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 166 x 232 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination - it carries two dogs: Pchelka and Mushka and other biological specimens including animals, plants and insects, and continues testing of Vostok's systems |
| 1960 Dec 2 |
09:12 |
Korabl Sputnik 3 fires its retro-rocket to initiate re-entry but it fails to shut down and continues to fire until all fuel is used up - the re-entry angle is too steep and the spacecraft is destroyed by frictional heating |
| 1960 Dec 22 |
07:45 |
Korabl Sputnik (1K-4), carrying two dogs - Damka and Krasavka, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket aimed towards a low orbit around the Earth at 65 degrees inclination - the spacecraft separates from the rocket while the third stage is still firing |
| 1960 Dec 22 |
07:50 |
Estimated time - having survived separation from its launcher, Korabl Sputnik (1K-4) lands by parachute - its cargo is recovered intact |
| 1961 Mar 9 |
06:28 |
Korabl Sputnik 4 (3KA-1) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 173 x 239 kilometre orbit at 64.9 degrees inclination - in order to continue tests of the Vostok systems, it carries a dummy cosmonaut, a dog: Chernushka, and other biological specimens |
| 1961 Mar 9 |
07:29 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 4 retro-rocket fires |
| 1961 Mar 9 |
07:58 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 4 ejector seat operates and the dummy cosmonaut continues a separate descent under a parachute |
| 1961 Mar 9 |
08:09 |
Korabl Sputnik 4 dummy cosmonaut lands - the spacecraft, with Chernushka inside, touches down nearby at about the same time |
| 1961 Mar 25 |
05:54 |
Korabl Sputnik 5 (3KA-2) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 164 x 230 kilometre orbit at 64.9 degrees inclination - it carries a dummy cosmonaut, a dog: Zvezdochka and other biological specimens and is the final test flight prior to the launch of Vostok |
| 1961 Mar 25 |
06:59 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 5 retro-rocket fires |
| 1961 Mar 25 |
07:29 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 5 ejector seat operates and the dummy cosmonaut continues a separate descent under a parachute |
| 1961 Mar 25 |
07:40 |
Korabl Sputnik 5 dummy cosmonaut lands - the spacecraft, with Zvezdochka inside, touches down nearby at about the same time |
| 1961 Apr 12 |
06:07 |
World first piloted spaceship, Vostok (3KA-3), launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 169 x 315 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin aboard |
| 1961 Apr 12 |
07:16 |
Vostok is aligned for retro-fire |
| 1961 Apr 12 |
07:26 |
Vostok retro-rocket fires |
| 1961 Apr 12 |
07:35 |
Vostok re-enters the atmosphere - Gagarin ride is rough as the instrument unit and the cabin remain joined by a cable until re-entry heating burns it through |
| 1961 Apr 12 |
07:55 |
Vostok ejector seat operates and Gagarin continues descent under a parachute |
| 1961 Apr 12 |
08:05 |
Gagarin lands - 26 kilometres south-west of Engels, Saratov Region - Vostok touches down nearby at about the same time |
| 1961 Aug 6 |
06:00 |
Vostok 2 (3KA-4) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 166 x 232 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination with cosmonaut Gherman Titov aboard |
| 1961 Aug 6 |
15:30 |
Titov begins rest period aboard Vostok 2 |
| 1961 Aug 6 |
23:37 |
Aboard Vostok 2, Titov is awakened at the end of his sleep period - 37 minutes later than planned |
| 1961 Aug 7 |
02:45 |
Aboard Vostok 2, Titov eats breakfast |
| 1961 Aug 7 |
06:41 |
Approx time - Vostok 2 retro-rocket fires |
| 1961 Aug 7 |
07:11 |
Vostok 2 ejector seat operates and Titov continues descent under a parachute |
| 1961 Aug 7 |
07:18 |
Titov lands 740 kilometres south-east of Moscow near Krasny Sut, Saratov region - Vostok 2 touches down nearby at about the same time |
| 1962 Mar 14 |
|
A group of five women joins the original cosmonaut detachment at the Soviet Union Cosmonaut Training Centre |
| 1962 Aug 11 |
08:30 |
Vostok 3 (3KA-5) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 166 x 218 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination with cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev aboard |
| 1962 Aug 12 |
08:02 |
Vostok 4 (3KA-6) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 165 x 222 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination with cosmonaut Pavel Popovich aboard - it orbit is close to that of Vostok 3 |
| 1962 Aug 12 |
08:12 |
Approx time - Vostok 4 passes 6.5 kilometres from Vostok 3 - there is radio and contact between the two cosmonauts and the spacecraft are visible to each other - the two spacecraft then drift slowly apart |
| 1962 Aug 15 |
06:10 |
Approx time - Vostok 3 retro-rocket fires |
| 1962 Aug 15 |
06:16 |
Approx time - Vostok 4 retro-rocket fires |
| 1962 Aug 15 |
06:39 |
Vostok 3 ejector seat operates and Nikolayev continues descent under a parachute |
| 1962 Aug 15 |
06:46 |
Vostok 4 ejector seat operates and Popovich continues descent under a parachute |
| 1962 Aug 15 |
06:51 |
Nikolayev lands and Vostok 3 touches down nearby at about the same time - location: 48.03 degrees north, 75.75 degrees east, near Karkaralinsk in the Karaganda region |
| 1962 Aug 15 |
06:59 |
Popovich lands, and Vostok 4 touches down nearby at about the same time - the mission has been shortened by one day because of a misunderstanding between the cosmonaut and mission control about his state of health - location: 48.15 degrees north 71.85 degrees east, near Atasu in the Karaganda region |
| 1963 Jun 14 |
11:58 |
Vostok 5 (3KA-7) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 162 x 209 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination with cosmonaut Valeri Bykovsky aboard |
| 1963 Jun 16 |
09:29 |
Vostok 6 (3KA-8) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 168 x 218 kilometre orbit at 65.1 degrees inclination with female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova aboard |
| 1963 Jun 16 |
09:40 |
Approx time - Vostok 6 passes 5 kilometres from Vostok 5 but their orbits are angled with respect to each other so the two spacecraft move rapidly apart - there is radio contact between the two cosmonauts |
| 1963 Jun 19 |
07:41 |
Approx time - Vostok 6 retro-rocket fires |
| 1963 Jun 19 |
08:10 |
Vostok 6 ejector seat operates and Tereshkova continues descent under a parachute |
| 1963 Jun 19 |
08:20 |
Tereshkova lands, and Vostok 6 touches down nearby at about the same time - location 53.27 degrees north, 80.45 degrees east, 620 kilometres north-east of Karaganda |
| 1963 Jun 19 |
10:26 |
Approx time - Vostok 5 retro-rocket fires |
| 1963 Jun 19 |
10:36 |
Approx time - Vostok 5 re-enters the atmosphere - Bykovsky ride is rough as the instrument unit and the cabin remain joined by a cable until re-entry heating burns it through - a similar problem to that encountered by Gagarin |
| 1963 Jun 19 |
10:55 |
Vostok 5 ejector seat operates and Bykovsky continues descent under a parachute |
| 1963 Jun 19 |
11:05 |
Bykovsky lands, and Vostok 5 touches down nearby at about the same time - location: 53.40 degrees north, 67.62 degrees east, 540 kilometres north-west of Karaganda |
| 1964 Mar 1 |
|
Soviet government cancels remainder of the Vostok programme so that work can be concentrated on developing the Voskhod spacecraft |
| 1965 Oct 15 |
12:40 |
Approx time - the cabin of Korabl Sputnik 1 (launched 1960) re-enters the Earth atmosphere and is destroyed by frictional heating |
| 1966 Jan 14 |
|
Sergei Korolyov dies while undergoing surgery, he is aged 59 - his funeral is held in Moscow and his ashes are interred in the wall of the Kremlin |
The Vostok spacecraft shares its roots with Sergei Korolyov's 'Zenit' recoverable satellite. Several versions of Zenit have existed over the years and it still flies orbital missions as the re-entry vehicle of the 'Cometa' recoverable satellite, and under the 'Photon' and 'Bion' labels.