B. Answer the following questions
1. How did Major Yuri Gagarin feel when he spoke to the officials at the great launching site?
Yuri Gagarin felt proud and honoured to be chosen for such an important mission. He spoke calmly and politely to the officials and said goodbye as if he were going on a long journey.
2. List the things that suggest the great size of the rocket that launched Vostok-I.
The rocket was huge and tall, as it had a sharp nose pointing skywards and required a lift to carry Gagarin to the top. It also produced a sheet of flame and clouds of smoke when it lifted off.
3. Had Major Yuri Gagarin ever before entered Vostok-I? How did he know the precise movements he had to make?
No, he had never entered the real Vostok-I before. However, he had trained many times in an exact replica (copy) of the capsule. During training, he had practised all the movements he would need to make.
4. How did Major Yuri Gagarin feel when the hatch was closed above him?
He felt alone and isolated inside the cabin, but he remained calm. He began to carry out the preliminary checks with a focused mind.
5. Where did Major Yuri Gagarin work before joining the Soviet Air Force? What was his occupation?
Before joining the Soviet Air Force, Gagarin worked in a factory as an apprentice moulder (a person who shapes metal).
6. What sort of training did Gagarin have to get before he was accepted in the Soviet Air Force?
He had to work very hard to become a pilot. He took flying lessons, qualified as a pilot, and earned his wings through dedication and hard work.
7. Why did Gagarin volunteer for training as a cosmonaut?
Gagarin had a strong fascination with flying and space. His interest in aeroplanes led him to volunteer for cosmonaut training.
8. Why didn’t Gagarin feel any tension when he entered the spacecraft?
He did not feel tension because he had spent the last year learning how to stay calm under pressure. He had trained his mind to ignore impatience and anxiety.
9. What could Gagarin feel/hear inside when the rocket lifted off the launching pad? Did he have any idea of this before?
Inside the rocket, he could hear a loud noise like thunder and feel strong vibrations. He could not move due to irresistible forces. Yes, he had an idea from training on the centrifuge, which had prepared him for such forces.
10. What parts of the rocket/launch vehicle were separated from Vostok-I before it entered its orbit?
First, the nosecone was withdrawn, then the last stage of the rocket fell away, allowing Vostok-I to enter orbit.
11. How did Yuri Gagarin feel when Vostok-I entered the orbit? What was the cause of this feeling? Did Gagarin feel upset with this? Give reasons for your answer.
When the spacecraft entered orbit, Gagarin felt a strange and new feeling called weightlessness, because gravity was no longer acting on him.
No, he did not feel upset. He calmly accepted it and soon got used to it.
12. List the things that Gagarin noticed inside the cabin when Vostok-I entered its orbit.
Inside the cabin, he noticed:
- Objects were floating in the air
- His notebook drifted away
- His pencil floated out of reach
- He had to hold things down
- He could still eat and do his tasks in weightlessness
13. Did Gagarin feel helpless or did he try to study and analyse the situation in which he found himself?
Gagarin did not feel helpless. He tried to study the situation carefully. He remained calm, observed everything, and even wrote down his impressions.
14. List the precautions and steps that were taken for the re-entry of the spacecraft into the earth’s atmosphere.
For re-entry:
- Retro-rockets were fired to slow down the speed
- This caused the capsule to sink into the atmosphere
- The re-entry was planned carefully, as it was the most dangerous phase of the mission
15. How did the two peasant women react when they saw the spacecraft coming down? What did Gagarin have to tell them to make them feel normal?
The women were afraid when they saw the strange object and Gagarin in his bright orange suit and helmet.
To calm them, Gagarin took off his helmet and said,
“I am one of your own people, comrade! I am Yuri Gagarin!”
A. Complete the following table: The First Man in Space
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name of the astronaut/cosmonaut | Yuri Gagarin |
| Age | 27 years |
| Nationality | Soviet (Russian) |
| Name of the spacecraft | Vostok-I |
| Weight of the spacecraft | 4.5 tons |
| Date of the flight | April 12, 1961 |
| Time of take-off | 9:11 a.m. |
| Time of landing | 10:59 a.m. |
| Duration of the flight | 108 minutes |
| Launching site | Baikonour, Central Asia |
| The speed at which it hurtled around the earth | 17,000 miles per hour |