Vostok launch vehicle

The Vostok launch vehicle was a Soviet space rocket designed to carry the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space in 1961. It was a two-stage rocket, with the first stage providing the initial push into space, and the second stage placing the spacecraft into orbit. The Vostok was reliable and powerful for its time, using proven technology similar to military systems. Its successful launches marked a significant milestone in the space race, demonstrating the USSR’s capability to send humans into space and orbit the Earth. The Vostok variants were used in several historic missions before being replaced by more advanced systems.