» History of an Exhibit.
Project for the 60th Anniversary of Human Spaceflight
In honor of the 60th anniversary of the first human spaceflight, the Academy opens a special section. Here we discuss unique items preserved in our museum, which were silent witnesses to this great historical event.
The SK-1 Space Suit
This spacesuit was developed specifically for the first flights on the "Vostok" series spacecraft. It was in this very orange spacesuit that Yuri Gagarin stepped into the unknown on April 12, 1961.
The bright orange color was not chosen by chance: it provided maximum contrast and visibility for the astronaut against the background of earth or water in case of an emergency landing, so that search and rescue teams could find him as quickly as possible.
The suit weighed about 20 kilograms and was equipped with a complex life support system. It could save the pilot's life in the event of cabin depressurization, providing him with oxygen for several hours.