Voskhod 2: Mission Operations and Observations

Voskhod 2’s central objective was to let an astronaut leave the pressurized cabin, operate in vacuum and weightlessness, and return. The OKB-1 design bureau led by Sergei Korolev developed the 3KD variant from Voskhod, replacing the three-seat arrangement with two seats to accommodate suited crew members. Commander Pavel Belyayev remained inside to operate the systems, while Alexei Leonov carried out the external experiment.

To keep the cabin pressurized, engineers fitted an external inflatable airlock called Volga. OKB-1 participated in the overall design, while Plant No. 918 under Guy Severin manufactured the airlock and developed the Berkut spacesuit. The airlock was folded for launch and expanded in orbit to a length of about 2.5 meters. A backpack life-support unit supplied Leonov independently with oxygen, and a roughly five-meter tether provided a safety connection and carried communications lines.

References: [1] [2]

The two astronauts repeatedly practiced airlock controls, hatch operation, and entry and exit movements. They experienced brief periods of weightlessness on parabolic Tu-104 flights and underwent low-pressure tests. Leonov later described in The UNESCO Courier how they participated in equipment trials and proposed modifications to the designers as well as learning to operate the hardware.

The uncrewed test spacecraft Kosmos 57, launched on February 22, 1965, completed several airlock operations but received anomalous ground commands that triggered its descent sequence and subsequent self-destruction. It therefore failed to validate the complete return. Engineers then used Kosmos 59 to test a descent capsule fitted with the airlock attachment ring. Its successful landing on March 15 provided important support for proceeding with the crewed mission.

References: [1] [2]

Voskhod 2 lifted off from Baikonur at 07:00 UTC on March 18, 1965, or 10:00 Moscow time. Once in orbit, Belyayev deployed the airlock, helped Leonov put on the life-support backpack, and checked the connections. After Leonov entered the airlock, the inner hatch was closed and its pressure reduced almost to the external vacuum before the outer hatch was opened.

At about 08:35 UTC, Leonov left the airlock and became the first person to operate in open space. He observed the Black Sea, Caucasus, and Siberian rivers, testing movements that pushed him away from the spacecraft and brought him back using the tether. An external television camera transmitted images to the cabin and ground, while a movie camera recorded the activity. Telephone lines in the tether maintained contact with his crewmate and mission control.

He spent 12 minutes 9 seconds in open space. The interval from airlock depressurization to closing the outer hatch lasted about 23 minutes 41 seconds. The first figure measures free external activity; the second includes airlock entry and exit operations.

References: [1] [2]

The pressurized spacesuit restricted Leonov’s movements, and his hands and feet shifted within it. The planned feet-first entry into the airlock became difficult. He reduced suit pressure to improve mobility, entered the narrow airlock headfirst, and struggled to turn his body before closing the outer hatch and repressurizing the airlock. He eventually returned to the cabin.

Later space histories based on public records describe Leonov’s pressure reduction, turn, and severe fatigue. The pressurized suit, backpack, and narrow hatch combined to constrain his movements, making reentry during the real flight harder than in ground training. The airlock preserved cabin pressure, while the room available for movement and the flexibility of the suit needed further improvement.

References: [1] [2]

After the spacewalk, the spacecraft discarded the airlock and continued in orbit. Environmental-control problems followed, including an elevated oxygen concentration in the cabin. At the scheduled return, the automatic orientation system failed and the braking engine did not fire as planned. Korolev’s team decided to use manual orientation. Ground engineers calculated and transmitted operating data; Belyayev adjusted attitude with an optical instrument while Leonov helped steady his body.

The spacecraft landed at 09:02 UTC on March 19 after a flight of about 26 hours 2 minutes. The capsule came down in a snowy forest northwest of Perm, about 386 kilometers from the intended landing area. Dense trees prevented helicopters from landing directly. The crew first spent a night using airdropped supplies for warmth, then stayed another night with rescuers who arrived the next day. They were finally flown to Perm airport on March 21. Orbital flight ended at landing, but recovery of the crew took two more days.

References: [1]

Voskhod 2’s principal achievements were testing airlock passage, independent life support, tether communications, and human external activity in a real orbital environment. It left television and film records that could be analyzed repeatedly. Leonov’s observations of pushing away, rotating, and pulling himself toward the spacecraft brought the study of movement in weightlessness from training into open space.

Difficult airlock reentry, cabin environmental anomalies, manual return, and rescue in a remote area revealed problems with suit flexibility, cockpit layout, coordination between automatic and manual systems, and landing-search support. Through pressure reduction, manual orientation, and ground assistance, the crew completed the mission. Survival outside the spacecraft was demonstrated, and their experiences clarified the operating conditions needed for later external activities.

References: [1] [2]