Every year as the anniversary of the first human spaceflight approaches, I receive calls inquiring about the validity of Yuri Gagarin’s claim as the first human in space. The legitimate questions focus on the fact that Gagarin did not land inside his spacecraft.
I wonder if Yuri decided to parachute himself (because he didn’t trust the landing vehicle), and this was made part of the plan retroactively to not embarrass anyone involved.
No, this was always the plan. That’s why there are “dead cosmonaut” rumors that predate Gagarin. They used a mannequin multiple times before Gagarin’s flight because they wanted absolutely nothing to possibly go wrong with their propaganda boon.
And here he is, Ivan Ivanovich (the Russian equivalent of John Doe):
I wonder if Yuri decided to parachute himself (because he didn’t trust the landing vehicle), and this was made part of the plan retroactively to not embarrass anyone involved.
No, this was always the plan. That’s why there are “dead cosmonaut” rumors that predate Gagarin. They used a mannequin multiple times before Gagarin’s flight because they wanted absolutely nothing to possibly go wrong with their propaganda boon.
And here he is, Ivan Ivanovich (the Russian equivalent of John Doe):
The Sovs killed a dog or two in space or reentry.