360
Russia
Everything about Russia on 360n60: 5 history, 18 dates in history, 2 people. Each told in 60 words.
History · 5
- History · 20 November 1998
The first part of the International Space Station is launched
On 20 November 1998, a Russian Proton rocket launched Zarya from Baikonur, the first module of the International Space Station. Weeks later, a US shuttle attached the Unity module. The first crew moved in on 2 November 2000, and people have lived aboard ever since. Built by five space agencies, it is the largest structure in orbit.
- History · 16 June 1963
Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space
On 16 June 1963, the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched aboard Vostok 6 and orbited the Earth 48 times in almost three days. A former textile factory worker and amateur parachutist, she was 26. Her call sign was 'Chaika', meaning seagull. She remains the only woman to have flown a space mission alone.
- History · 12 April 1961
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space
On 12 April 1961, the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth once in the spacecraft Vostok 1, becoming the first human in space. The flight lasted 108 minutes. As he lifted off, he said, 'Poyekhali!', meaning 'Let's go!' His journey opened the era of human spaceflight.
- History · 4 October 1957
Sputnik, the first satellite, starts the space age
On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite. The metal sphere, about 58 centimetres wide, orbited the Earth every 96 minutes, sending radio beeps that people around the world could hear. It started the space age and the space race.
- History · 6 March 1869
Mendeleev presents the periodic table of the elements
On 6 March 1869, the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev's periodic table was presented to the Russian Chemical Society. He arranged the 63 known elements by atomic weight and grouped them by their properties, leaving gaps for elements not yet discovered. When gallium, scandium and germanium were found, they matched his predictions.
On this day · 18
- On this day · 15 February 2013
A meteor explodes over Chelyabinsk
On 15 February 2013, a space rock about 20 m wide exploded in the sky over Chelyabinsk in Russia, shining brighter than the Sun. Its shock wave shattered windows across the city and injured about 1,500 people, mostly from flying glass. It was the largest such event recorded in more than a century.
- On this day · 29 June 1995
An American shuttle docks with the Russian space station Mir
On 29 June 1995, the US space shuttle Atlantis docked with the Russian space station Mir, forming the largest spacecraft then in orbit. Crews shook hands through the hatch. The partnership led directly to the International Space Station.
- On this day · 26 April 1986
The Chernobyl nuclear accident
On 26 April 1986, a reactor exploded during a safety test at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, in what was then the Soviet Union. Radioactive material spread across Europe, and more than 100,000 people were evacuated. It remains the worst nuclear power accident and led to safer reactor designs.
- On this day · 21 July 1983
The coldest temperature on Earth is recorded
On 21 July 1983, scientists at the Soviet research station Vostok, on the ice sheet of Antarctica, recorded an air temperature of minus 89.2°C. It remains the lowest directly measured air temperature on Earth. Satellites have since detected even colder spots on the ice surface.
- On this day · 15 December 1970
The first successful landing on another planet
On 15 December 1970, the Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 landed on Venus and sent back data from its surface, the first successful landing on another planet. It recorded a temperature of about 475 degrees Celsius, showing that Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system.
- On this day · 3 February 1966
Luna 9 makes the first soft landing on the Moon
On 3 February 1966, the Soviet probe Luna 9 became the first spacecraft to land gently on the Moon, on the Ocean of Storms. It sent back the first pictures from the lunar surface and showed that the ground was firm enough to support a lander, not covered in deep dust.
- On this day · 18 March 1965
Alexei Leonov makes the first spacewalk
On 18 March 1965, the Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov left his Voskhod 2 spacecraft and floated in space for about 12 minutes, tied by a tether. His suit ballooned in the vacuum, and he had to let out air to squeeze back inside. He later became a celebrated space artist.
- On this day · 16 June 1963
Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space
On 16 June 1963, the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched aboard Vostok 6 and orbited the Earth 48 times in almost three days. A former textile worker and amateur parachutist, she was 26. She remains the only woman to have flown a space mission alone.
- On this day · 12 April 1961
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
On 12 April 1961, the Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin orbited the Earth once in Vostok 1, in a flight of 108 minutes. As he lifted off, he said: 'Poyekhali!', 'Let's go!' The date is marked every year by the United Nations as the International Day of Human Space Flight.
- On this day · 2 January 1959
Luna 1 becomes the first spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity
On 2 January 1959, the Soviet Union launched Luna 1 towards the Moon. It missed its target by about 6,000 km, but it became the first spacecraft to escape Earth's gravity and go into orbit around the Sun. It also found the solar wind, a stream of particles flowing from the Sun.
- On this day · 7 October 1959
The first photographs of the Moon's far side
On 7 October 1959, the Soviet probe Luna 3 photographed the far side of the Moon, the side never seen from Earth. The blurry images showed fewer dark plains than the near side. One of the features was later named the Sea of Moscow.
- On this day · 4 October 1957
Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, is launched
On 4 October 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, a metal ball about 58 cm across with four long aerials. It circled the Earth every 96 minutes, sending out radio beeps that people around the world could hear. It began the space age.
- On this day · 3 November 1957
Laika becomes the first animal to orbit the Earth
On 3 November 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying a dog named Laika. She was the first animal to orbit the Earth. The mission showed that a living creature could survive launch and weightlessness, helping prepare the way for human spaceflight four years later.
- On this day · 30 December 1922
The Soviet Union is formed
On 30 December 1922, delegates in Moscow approved a treaty creating the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and the Transcaucasian republic. It became one of the world's largest states and lasted until its dissolution in December 1991.
- On this day · 25 June 1910
Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird is first performed
On 25 June 1910, The Firebird, a ballet with music by the young Russian composer Igor Stravinsky, was first performed in Paris by the Ballets Russes. Its colourful, dramatic score made Stravinsky famous overnight, and he became one of the most influential composers of the 20th century.
- On this day · 30 June 1908
A huge explosion flattens a Siberian forest
On 30 June 1908, a huge explosion over the Tunguska region of Siberia flattened about 80 million trees across more than 2,000 square kilometres. Scientists think a space rock exploded in the air. The date is now marked as Asteroid Day, to raise awareness of the need to watch the skies.
- On this day · 6 March 1869
Mendeleev's periodic table is presented
On 6 March 1869, the periodic table of the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev was presented to the Russian Chemical Society. He arranged the elements by weight and properties, leaving gaps for ones not yet found. When gallium, scandium and germanium were discovered, they matched his predictions.
- On this day · 30 March 1867
The United States agrees to buy Alaska
On 30 March 1867, the United States agreed to buy Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, about two cents an acre. Critics called it 'Seward's Folly', after the Secretary of State who arranged it. Gold, fish and later oil proved its value. Alaska became a US state in 1959.
People · 2
- Cosmonaut · born 1937
Valentina Tereshkova
Valentina Tereshkova is a Soviet cosmonaut who became the first woman in space. On 16 June 1963, aged 26, she launched aboard Vostok 6 and orbited the Earth 48 times in almost three days. A former textile worker and amateur parachutist, she remains the only woman to have flown a space mission alone.
- Cosmonaut · 1934–1968
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin was a Soviet pilot who became the first human in space. On 12 April 1961, he orbited the Earth once in the Vostok 1 spacecraft, in a flight of 108 minutes. The son of a carpenter, he became a worldwide celebrity. The date of his flight is celebrated every year as the International Day of Human Space Flight.