Launch of Soyuz 1

Soyuz 1 was the first crewed flight of the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft, carrying the cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, who was alone on the mission. The spacecraft had many technical problems, including the failure of one of its solar panels to open, which limited its power, and trouble with its orientation system. The mission was cut short, and during re-entry the main parachute failed to deploy properly and the reserve parachute became tangled. Komarov was killed when the capsule hit the ground, becoming the first person to die during a space flight. The Soviet crewed programme was halted for more than a year while the spacecraft was redesigned. Komarov's friend Yuri Gagarin, who had been his backup, was grounded after the accident.

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