Tragically, space travel has claimed its share of lives over the years, with some disasters leaving the world in shock.
One of the most heartbreaking occurred in 1967, when Vladimir Mikhaylovich Komarov became known as the “man who fell from space”.
Circling the Earth 16 times
Space exploration has always carried enormous risks, and few stories are as chilling as that of Vladimir Komarov, the first human to die during a space mission.
Known as “the man who fell from space,” Komarov’s final journey aboard Soyuz 1 ended in tragedy on April 24, 1967.
The mission, the first crewed flight of the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft, was plagued with problems from the start.
But on April 23, 1967, Komarov launched into orbit, circling the Earth 16 times over 24 hours. Soon after reaching space, one of the two solar panels failed to deploy, cutting the spacecraft’s power and preventing him from completing the mission.
Back on Earth, Soviet mission control decided Komarov should return, but re-entry proved to be fatal. During his descent, the main parachute meant to slow the capsule’s fall failed to deploy, and the backup became entangled with the defective main chute.
Komarov’s words
Komarov’s capsule hit the ground at around 370 miles per hour, and his remains were so badly burned that only his heel bone was recognizable. His death sent shockwaves through the Soviet space program and the world, forever marking him as the first known human to die in spaceflight.
Tragically, Komarov’s final moments were recorded by U.S. listening posts in Turkey. He spoke with Alexei Kosygin, a high-ranking Soviet official, expressing his frustration as the capsule plummeted toward the Earth.
The controversial 2011 book Starman claims Komarov shouted:
”This devil ship! Nothing I lay my hands on works properly.”
However, some experts remain skeptical of this account. The official transcript from the Russian State Archive notes that one of Komarov’s last messages to his colleagues was calmer:
”I feel excellent, everything’s in order.”
Just moments later, he reportedly added:
”Thank you for transmitting all of that. [Separation] occurred.”
Political pressure
As mentioned, the Soyuz 1 spacecraft was riddled with issues even before launch — Starman claims there were 203 structural problems identified. A KGB agent, Venyamin Russayev, revealed that engineers raised alarms with party leaders about the mission, but their warnings ”were overruled by political pressures for a series of space feats to mark the anniversary of Lenin’s birthday.”
Even Komarov’s backup pilot, Yuri Gagarin, had reportedly argued for the mission to be postponed, but the flight went ahead. At the same time, Russayev said that Komarov refused to step down from the mission, even though he believed it was doomed, explaining that he could not put Gagarin’s life at risk.
Gagarin would tragically die the following year in a plane crash.
Komarov was honored with a state funeral in Moscow, and his ashes were laid to rest in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis at Red Square.
Neil Armstrong’s gesture
American astronauts requested permission for a representative to attend, but the Soviet government denied the request.
Komarov’s courage and contributions to human space exploration left a lasting impression on his American colleagues. Before leaving the Moon aboard Apollo 11’s Lunar Module, Neil Armstrong carried out a deeply moving gesture: he placed a small memorial package honoring the brave individuals who had given their lives in the pursuit of space, including Soviet cosmonauts Vladimir Komarov and Yuri Gagarin, as well as the Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee.
Later, Komarov’s name was also inscribed on a commemorative plaque left at Hadley Rille by Apollo 15 commander David Scott, accompanied by a small sculpture titled Fallen Astronaut. Together, the plaque and sculpture stand as a lasting tribute to all the astronauts and cosmonauts who made the ultimate sacrifice in humanity’s relentless quest to reach the stars and explore the Moon.
Despite the disaster, Vladimir Komarov’s courage and dedication are remembered to this day, a haunting reminder of the dangers faced by those who dare to explore the final frontier. Rest in Peace, Vladimir.
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