As the spaceship Yuri Gagarin was called: alternative versions

On the spring day of 1961, namely on April 12, the inhabitants of the whole world learned the name of the man who opened the space to people.

From sensational newspaper headlines, read by the rapid patter of enthusiastic radio reports in all possible languages, and, finally, the television programs, it became known and what was called the spacecraft of Yuri Gagarin. A common word for one of the four directions. About anything this name does not speak, does not disclose any riddles. But there were many questions, but few answers.

A bit of near-scientific and political fiction

Of course, if this event happened forty years earlier, in the twenties, one can only guess what the first space rocket would be for the name . In those years, as usual, it probably would be called "Internationale-1", or some cunning abbreviation, corresponding to the then party fashion. For example, "Strasovkos" (the Land of Soviets in Space). Or "Vladlenkos" (Vladimir Lenin in the same place). After all, even the post of Deputy People's Commissar for Maritime Affairs was designated as "Zamkompomorde". In general, would come up with something expressive.

And if the first cosmonaut were sent into orbit under Stalin, then, perhaps, he would carry the name of the leader, the "father of the peoples," on his corps.

Another name for the missile, military

If a professional military, secret rocketeer were asked what the Yuri Gagarin spacecraft really was called for, he would have answered (respecting the regime of secrecy, and only those who had the "first admission"), which is correct - R-7. Because it was this ballistic missile that carried the famous Soviet pilot into orbit. But only to ask such questions was fraught. First, it was necessary to find out who to approach with them, and this turned out to be beyond the power even of such a cunning intelligence as the CIA. And secondly, virtually everything that concerned Soviet space research was kept secret.

Tricky questions to Gagarin and his witty answers

On April 16, 1961, the world's first cosmonaut came to a press conference at which correspondents of all news agencies could ask him any, even the most tricky questions. At that time, they knew only what the Yuri Gagarin spacecraft was called, the weight of its payload (5 tons) and several other parameters announced earlier by Academician Keldysh. The hero smiled charmingly, eagerly and wittily answered all the questions of the interviewers, but did not disclose new technical information. Until 1968, when the descent vehicle of the "East" became an exhibit of the Exhibition of Economic Achievements, even the shape of the habitable compartment remained a mystery, not to mention the complex devices providing life and landing of the capsule. The grounds for such a veil of mystery were. The Americans were literally advancing on their heels, but they were always late for two or three months, which was very frustrating for President Kennedy and other important people in the White House, and not only. Even insignificant at first glance details could lead overseas designers to the right direction, and the priority would be lost. Specialists from the United States made assumptions about the layout of the "East", but, as time showed, they were all wrong.

"East" and "Zenith" are twin brothers

So, everyone knows what the Yuri Gagarin spacecraft was called - Vostok-1. But the word "Zenith" until 1968, almost no one said anything. Only a few knew about the true and main task, which was solved by projecting the returning head of the space rocket. In addition to delivering nuclear warheads, the R-7 could launch an reconnaissance satellite into orbit equipped with super-power optics and photographic equipment. With great difficulty, Keldysh and the Queen succeeded in adding to the state secret government decree the words about the manned flight. So the spacecraft of Yuri Gagarin became an example of conversion, while his main purpose consisted in military photo reconnaissance.

And again about the history

Time has shown the rightness of the great scientist SP Korolev and his remarkable team. Decades have passed, and today they rarely recall spy satellites, clear images of Soviet and American defense facilities aimed at each other by ballistic megaclasses and other terrible realities of the Cold War. But all of humanity remembers the name of the ship of Yuri Gagarin, knows about our space priority and pronounces the name of the pioneer of the cosmos with respect and love. This can not be changed.