On March 18, 1965, the Soviet Union achieved a historic breakthrough in the race for space dominance when Alexei Leonov became the first man to walk in space. The mission was called Voskhod 2, and marked a milestone in the history of space exploration, as the Soviet Union once again beat the United States in the space race.
Leonov exited the spaceship and spent about 12 minutes outside the ship while tied to a rope. As Leonov recalls that moment, “I floated in space, marveling at the beauty of the Earth beneath me.” However, this success was marred by an oxygen crisis and a perilous return to Earth, which put the human spirit to the test.
“Oxygen crisis” during spacewalk: the reason for Russia’s defeat
Although Leonov’s spacewalk may be remembered as a success, it was almost a disaster. Leonov’s spacesuit unexpectedly inflated in space, becoming solid.
This made it difficult for him to return to the airlock. According to NASA archives, “The pressure of the suit’s gases caused it to inflate. This limited Leonov’s ability to move and control.” Leonov’s bravest move was to take some of the oxygen out of his suit to make it smaller. This was despite the risk of decompression sickness. Leonov commented, “I was standing there drenched in sweat…I had to reduce the pressure inside my suit, otherwise I wouldn’t get back in it” (Leonov, 2004).
This brave act saved Leonov’s life.
This was a moment of quick thinking. This was evidence of the unpredictable dangers faced by astronauts in those days. NASA states that “extravehicular activity (EVA) technology was still in its experimental stages.” This was a remarkable achievement by Leonov.
What happened while returning to Earth?
As recorded in the Presidential Library, his challenges did not end when Leonov returned safely to the spacecraft.
When Voskhod 2 was re-entering Earth’s atmosphere during spaceflight, the automatic descent system failed to function properly. The pilot had to manually guide the spacecraft back to Earth, a feat that had never been done before.Instead of landing in a designated safe recovery area, the spacecraft landed in the Siberian wilderness, where the astronauts were isolated in dense forest and freezing temperatures.
According to ESA records, the astronauts were isolated with wolves around the area and a sharp drop in temperature during the night.
Survive in the Siberian wilderness
Leonov and Belyaev had to endure a nearly two-day stay in the wilderness before help reached them. The two astronauts survived by using emergency equipment. “This was a true test of survivability after the mission itself had already tested us beyond limits,” Leonov said. The delay in the rescue mission was caused by the capsule landing in an unexpected place. A team of rescuers finally managed to reach the astronauts by skiing through the forest.
Legacy of the Voskhod 2 mission
The events of 1965 serve as a reminder that space exploration in its early years was as much a matter of survival as scientific progress. Leonov’s spacewalk opened the doors to modern spacewalking, which is now a regular feature of ISS missions. “Leonov’s spacewalk demonstrated the possibilities and dangers of human activity in space,” something NASA later acknowledged. It serves as a reminder of human ingenuity and design, and is a victory not only for the Soviet Union but for space exploration in general.
