Still riding high in the Vostok's astral wake, Soviet scientists last week filled a few more gaps in the official description of Space Traveler Yuri Gagarin's 89-minute trip around the world.
To guard against temporary failure of landing controls, the Vostok was crammed with enough food and water for a ten-day whirl. For low-altitude emergencies, there were two escape hatches and an ejector seat equipped with a parachute, emergency rations, an oxygen supply and a radio transmitter. As he spun past the stars, Yuri could study his surroundings through three heat-resistant portholes. Even if he spotted no landmarks 188 miles below, he...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
