# Vostok 2

> space mission of USSR

**Wikidata**: [Q221678](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q221678)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vostok_2)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/vostok-2

## Summary
Vostok 2 was a Soviet crewed spaceflight mission that launched on August 6, 1961, carrying cosmonaut Gherman Titov on a 25-hour orbital flight. It was the second crewed mission of the Vostok program and the first to last more than a single day in space. The mission completed 17 orbits around Earth before landing on August 7, 1961.

## Key Facts
- Launched on August 6, 1961, from Baikonur Cosmodrome's Gagarin's Start launch site
- Carried cosmonaut Gherman Titov, who became the second human to orbit Earth
- Mission duration was 1,518 minutes (25 hours, 18 minutes)
- Completed 17 orbits around Earth at an orbital inclination of 64.93 degrees
- Spacecraft mass was 4,731 kilograms at takeoff
- Orbital period was 88.46 minutes with an apogee of 244 km and perigee of 183 km
- Landed on August 7, 1961, in Krasny Kut, Saratov Oblast
- Call sign was "Oryol" (Eagle in Russian)
- Part of the Soviet Vostok program and operated by the Soviet space program
- Manufactured by S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia

## FAQs
### Q: Who flew on Vostok 2?
A: Gherman Titov was the cosmonaut who flew on Vostok 2, becoming the second human to orbit Earth after Yuri Gagarin's Vostok 1 flight.

### Q: How long did Vostok 2 stay in space?
A: Vostok 2 remained in space for 25 hours and 18 minutes, completing 17 orbits around Earth before returning on August 7, 1961.

### Q: Where did Vostok 2 launch from?
A: Vostok 2 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, specifically from the launch site known as Gagarin's Start.

## Why It Matters
Vostok 2 represented a critical milestone in human spaceflight by demonstrating that humans could survive extended periods in space. While Vostok 1 proved humans could reach orbit and return safely, Vostok 2 showed that multi-day missions were feasible, paving the way for more complex space operations. Gherman Titov's 17-orbit flight provided valuable data on human physiological responses to prolonged weightlessness, including the first documented case of space sickness. The mission also tested the Vostok spacecraft's systems over an extended duration, validating its reliability for future missions. This success gave the Soviet space program confidence to pursue more ambitious goals, including longer missions and eventually space station operations. The data gathered from Titov's flight contributed significantly to understanding the challenges of human spaceflight and helped inform the design of subsequent spacecraft and mission planning for both Soviet and international space programs.

## Notable For
- First crewed spaceflight lasting more than one day
- Second human to orbit Earth (Gherman Titov)
- First documented case of space sickness in a human
- Tested human endurance in space over extended periods
- Demonstrated reliability of Vostok spacecraft for multi-orbit missions

## Body
### Mission Overview
Vostok 2 was the second crewed spaceflight in the Soviet Vostok program, launched on August 6, 1961. The mission carried cosmonaut Gherman Titov aboard the Vostok 3KA spacecraft, which was launched using a Vostok-K rocket. The flight lasted 25 hours and 18 minutes, during which the spacecraft completed 17 orbits around Earth.

### Technical Specifications
The Vostok 3KA spacecraft had a mass of 4,731 kilograms at launch. It operated in low Earth orbit with an apogee of 244 kilometers and a perigee of 183 kilometers. The orbital period was 88.46 minutes, and the spacecraft maintained an orbital inclination of 64.93 degrees relative to Earth's equator.

### Crew and Operations
Gherman Titov, aged 25 at the time, became the youngest person to fly in space and remained so for over 40 years. During the mission, Titov performed various experiments and tests, including sleeping in space and attempting to eat and drink in microgravity conditions. He experienced space sickness during the flight, becoming the first person documented to suffer from this condition.

### Launch and Landing
The spacecraft launched from Site No. 1/5 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, also known as Gagarin's Start. The launch occurred at 06:00 UTC on August 6, 1961. After completing its mission, the spacecraft landed successfully on August 7, 1961, at 07:18 UTC in the Krasny Kut area of Saratov Oblast, Russia.

### Mission Significance
Vostok 2 demonstrated that humans could function in space for extended periods, which was crucial for planning future missions. The mission provided valuable data on human physiological responses to prolonged spaceflight and tested the reliability of spacecraft systems over multiple orbits. This success built upon Vostok 1's achievement and helped establish the foundation for more complex Soviet space missions in the following years.

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## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013