Context and purpose Voskhod Spacecraft "Globus" IMP navigation instrument

a imp globus instrument within voskhod navigation panel

the voskhod spacecraft second generation of spacecraft designed in manned soviet space program, adaptation of earlier vostok spacecraft. flew 2 manned missions, voskhod 1 (world s first multi-crewed mission, launched on 12 october 1964) , voskhod 2 (featuring world s first extra-vehicular activity, or eva, commonly called spacewalk, launched on march 18, 1965). voskhod spacecraft—and globus imp instruments—is close derivative of vostok, flew 6 soviet individuals low earth orbit, including world s first human in space, yuri gagarin, , world s first woman in space, valentina tereshkova. main difference between imp versions 1 , 2 (vostok spacecraft) , later versions (voskhod , soyuz) addition of disc-shaped longitude , latitude indicators.

the design objectives imp compute , display geographic coordinates @ spacecraft s nadir, i.e. point on earth s surface overflying. globus displayed data crew, , transmitted electrical data other systems through variable resistance , cam-activated switching.

derivatives of vostok s , voskhod s imp have been flown on every soyuz spacecraft last of soyuz tm mission in april 2002. main functional addition imp versions designed soyuz ability manually change orbit inclination. on vostok , voskhod, inclination equator had been constant @ 65 degrees virtue of booster design limitations , geographical location of baikonur cosmodrome every soviet , russian manned mission had been launched date, there no need implement inclination modulation versions 1 4 of imp.

the soyuz tma spacecraft , successors provide similar functions globus using computerized world map on computer display.

the russian missions automated , controlled mission control center (the tsup). spacecraft controlled itself, , cosmonauts expected initiate maneuvers or corrections after approval mcc , according data , parameters. therefore, instrumentation available pilot minimal , operational relevance limited contingency scenarios as possible. readings imp intended cosmonaut pilots confirm automated flight sequencer operating normally. data keep crew aware of position when orbiting on nighttime part of earth, or when spacecraft s viewports , vzor periscope couldn t pointed toward ground.

however, imp become crucial if manual retrorocket activation became compromised failure of either flight sequencer or communications mission control, did happen on voskhod 2. furthermore, given scarcity of soviet communication stations on earth, cosmonauts spent of time out of range ground control , needed instruments assess position relative ground.

by contrast, manned space programs used similar, mechanical positional indicator during 2 of mercury missions before discarding (and using former niche in mercury s instrument panel equivalent car s glove compartment). american instrument crude, smaller equivalent soviets , all-mechanical device (hand-wound) of limited complexity. given more extensive radio communication network spacecraft afforded nasa, subsequent manned missions, including lunar apollo missions , space shuttle missions, used onboard maps, ground telemetry , more recently, computerized maps on portable laptop computers provide astronauts positional information.