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Launch SuccessfulSoviet Space Program

Vostok-K: Vostok 4

Vostok 4 was launched a day after Vostok 3 and it carried cosmonaut Pavel Popovich to orbit. While the mission is considered a success it had several issues, a malfunction in the life-support systems caused the cabin temp drop to 10C but Popovich continued the mission, the big issue came when he mentioned seeing thunderstorms. He saw actual thunderstorms in the Gulf of Mexico but mission control thought Popovich had said a codeword for early mission ending and the mission was cut a day short. He completed 48 orbits and the mission lasted 2 days, 22 hours & 56 minutes.

Sunday, 12 August 1962
Vostok-K: Vostok 4

Mission Data

Soviet Space Program
🇷🇺Soviet Space ProgramEst. 1931
Launch VehicleVostok-K
Vehicle FamilyR-7
Vehicle Record11 of 13 launches (84.6%)
Provider TypeGovernment
Agency Record2288 successes / 168 failures (93%)
Success Streak17 consecutive
ProgramVostok · Human Spaceflight
Mission TypeHuman Exploration
Target OrbitLow Earth Orbit
Launch Pad1/5
Location🇰🇿 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan KAZ
Orbital Launches This Year#45
Agency Launches This Year#10
Launches From This Pad487
Launches From This Site1,565
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Vostok-K

The Vostok-K was an expendable carrier rocket used by the Soviet Union for thirteen launches between 1960 and 1964, six of which were manned. The Vostok-K made its maiden flight on 22 December 1960, three weeks after the retirement of the Vostok-L. The third stage engine failed 425 seconds after launch, and the payload, a Korabl-Sputnik spacecraft, failed to reach orbit. The spacecraft was recovered after landing, and the two dogs aboard the spacecraft survived the flight. On 12 April 1961, a Vostok-K rocket was used to launch Vostok 1, the first manned spaceflight, which made Yuri Gagarin the first human to fly in space.

Launch Site

1/5 · 45.9200°N 63.3420°E

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.