Vostok-1 Soviet Spacecraft (1961)

The legendary Vostok-1 manned spacecraft (3KA series) is the historic vehicle in which Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made the first-ever human spaceflight on April 12, 1961. Its design comprises two main sections: the descent module (capsule) and the instrument-service module. The descent module is a pressurized sphere with a diameter of 2.3 meters, constructed from an aluminum-magnesium alloy and shielded by a thick layer of gray thermal protection. The capsule's hull features access hatches (including the entry and parachute hatches), portholes with shutters, a porthole equipped with the "Vzor" optical orientation device, and green-coated steel tension bands that secure the thermal shielding. Encircling the interface between the capsule and the service module is a ring-shaped array of spherical, olive-green metal tanks containing compressed nitrogen and air to supply the life-support system and gas-powered attitude-control thrusters. The lower section of the spacecraft is a conical instrument-service module housing the primary control instruments, radio equipment, batteries, and the braking propulsion system (TDU), which features a nozzle at its base. Mounted on the module's exterior are rod and ribbon antennas, sensors, and wiring harnesses that facilitate communication and spacecraft control while in orbit. The entire system is configured to ensure high reliability during maneuvering in weightlessness and a safe descent from Earth orbit.