| Date |
Time (UTC) |
Event |
| 1960 Jan 11 |
|
USSR Government establishes a Cosmonaut Training Centre |
| 1960 Jan 20 |
|
USSR Government decree makes Korolyov's R-7 rocket available for use by the Army. |
| 1960 Mar 1 |
|
The Soviet Union first group of 20 space flight trainees reports to the Cosmonaut Training Centre |
| 1960 Mar 29 |
|
Combined gravitational effects on the trajectory of Luna 3 cause it to re-enter the Earth atmosphere where it is destroyed by frictional heating. It has completed 11 revolutions around the center of the Earth-Moon system (the barycentre) |
| 1960 Apr 6 |
|
Sputnik 3 enters the Earth atmosphere as a result of natural decay of the orbit through air drag, and is destroyed by frictional heating - its radio transmitter is reportedly still operable |
| 1960 Apr 15 |
15:06 |
E-3-1 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket on a mission to hit the Moon by way of a direct ascent trajectory - under-performance of the final rocket stage means that it has insufficient velocity to reach the Moon |
| 1960 Apr 16 |
|
E-3-1 spacecraft reaches a distance of 200,000 kilometres from the Earth and then falls back |
| 1960 Apr 16 |
|
E-3-1 spacecraft re-enters the Earth atmosphere where it is destroyed by frictional heating |
| 1960 Apr 19 |
16:07 |
E-3-2 spacecraft launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket on a mission to hit the Moon by way of a direct ascent trajectory - the launcher breaks up just after lift-off due to incorrect thrust from one of its strap-on boosters |
| 1960 May 15 |
00:00 |
Korabl Sputnik 1 (1KP-1), English - "Spaceship-Satellite", a Vostok/Zenit prototype, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into approx 320 x 360 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination - the purpose of the flight is to verify spacecraft systems and onboard there is mass to simulate the presence of a cosmonaut, on this mission, there is no heat shield and the cabin is not intended to be recovered |
| 1960 May 16 |
|
In the early hours of the morning, Geoff Perry and Derek Slater listen to the first signals to be received at Kettering Grammar school - from Korabl Sputnik 1 |
| 1960 May 18 |
23:52 |
Having aligned itself for retrofire, Korabl Sputnik 1 ignites its retro-rocket but an error means that it is pointing 180 degrees away from the correct direction and the spacecraft orbit is boosted to an orbit of 278 x 689 kilometres - its cabin section then separates from the instrument unit and remains in orbit for a further five years |
| 1960 May 19 |
|
Geoff Perry and Derek Slater listen to signals from Korabl Sputnik on the third successive day - they come later than expected and Geoff notes in the log that it must have changed orbit - they are unaware of the retro-rocket problem |
| 1960 Jul 28 |
07:12 |
Korabl Sputnik (1K-1) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket aimed towards a low orbit around the Earth at 65 degrees inclination, it carries the dogs Chaika and Lisichka - the rocket explodes shortly after lift-off and the craft is destroyed |
| 1960 Aug 19 |
08:44 |
Korabl Sputnik 2 (1K-2) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 297 x 324 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination - it's purpose is continued testing of Vostok's systems, it carries two dogs: Strelka and Belka, and other biological specimens including plants, rats and mice |
| 1960 Aug 20 |
10:20 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 2 retro-rocket fires |
| 1960 Aug 20 |
10:50 |
Approx time - Korabl Sputnik 2 ejector mechanism operates as a test for the Vostok ejector seat, and the container carrying Strelka and Belka continues descent under a parachute |
| 1960 Aug 20 |
11:02 |
Korabl Sputnik 2 experiments container lands - the spacecraft touches down nearby at about the same time |
| 1960 Dec 1 |
07:26 |
Korabl Sputnik 3 (1K-3) launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket into 166 x 232 kilometre orbit at 65.0 degrees inclination - it carries two dogs: Pchelka and Mushka and other biological specimens including animals, plants and insects, and continues testing of Vostok's systems |
| 1960 Dec 2 |
09:12 |
Korabl Sputnik 3 fires its retro-rocket to initiate re-entry but it fails to shut down and continues to fire until all fuel is used up - the re-entry angle is too steep and the spacecraft is destroyed by frictional heating |
| 1960 Dec 22 |
07:45 |
Korabl Sputnik (1K-4), carrying two dogs - Damka and Krasavka, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome by Vostok rocket aimed towards a low orbit around the Earth at 65 degrees inclination - the spacecraft separates from the rocket while the third stage is still firing |
| 1960 Dec 22 |
07:50 |
Estimated time - having survived separation from its launcher, Korabl Sputnik (1K-4) lands by parachute - its cargo is recovered intact |
