Korabl-Sputnik 4[1] (Russian: Корабль-Спутник 4 meaning Ship-Satellite 4) or Vostok-3KA No.1, also known as Sputnik 9 in the West,[2] was a Soviet spacecraft which was launched on 9 March 1961. Carrying the mannequin Ivan Ivanovich, a dog named Chernushka, some mice and the first guinea pig in space, it was a test flight of the Vostok spacecraft.[3]

Korabl-Sputnik 4
1961 postage stamp
NamesSputnik 9
Mission typeBiological
Technology
OperatorSoviet space program
Harvard designation1960 Theta 1
COSPAR ID1961-008A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.91
Mission duration1 hour, 41 minutes
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeVostok-3KA
ManufacturerOKB-1
Launch mass4,700 kilograms (10,400 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date9 March 1961, 06:29:00 (1961-03-09UTC06:29Z) UTC
RocketVostok-K 8K72K
Launch siteBaikonur 1/5
End of mission
Landing date9 March 1961, 08:09:54 (1961-03-09UTC08:09:55Z) UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude173 kilometres (107 mi)
Apogee altitude239 kilometres (149 mi)
Inclination64.93 degrees
Period88.6 minutes

Korabl-Sputnik 4 was launched at 06:29:00 UTC on 9 March 1961, atop a Vostok-K carrier rocket flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[1] It was successfully placed into low Earth orbit. The spacecraft was only intended to complete a single orbit, so it was deorbited shortly after launch, and reentered on its first pass over the Soviet Union. It landed at 08:09:54 UTC, and was successfully recovered. During the descent, the mannequin was ejected from the spacecraft in a test of its ejection seat, and descended separately under its own parachute.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
  2. ^ Wade, Mark. "Vostok". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  3. ^ Gray, Tara (1998). "A Brief History of Animals in Space". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved 3 May 2007.
  4. ^ Wade, Mark. "Soyuz". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 28 July 2010.