Soviet Union launches Voskhod 1, first multi-person space mission

On October 12, 1964, the Soviet Union launched Voskhod 1, marking the first space mission to carry more than one person into orbit. The spacecraft carried a three-person crew consisting of commander Vladimir Komarov, engineer Konstantin Feoktistov, and medical doctor Boris Yegorov.

Due to political pressure to achieve a milestone ahead of the American Gemini program, the crew was squeezed into a spacecraft originally designed for one or two people. This lack of capacity meant the mission was also the first spaceflight where the crew did not wear spacesuits.

The mission lasted just over 24 hours and served as a significant scientific endeavor. As a medical doctor, Yegorov collected vital biomedical data, including blood samples and brain wave measurements, to assist in the planning of future long-duration spaceflights.