Opening of exhibition: “The Space. Dreams and politics”

Exhibition “The Space. Dreams and politics” is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the space flight of Yuri Gagarin. It shows the history of use of outer space in the framework of the world’s political processes.

The exhibition represents unique pictures and documents, layouts, posters and books. Of special interest are items, belonged to famous cosmonauts, designers and scientists. Visitors can see personal belongings of the chief designer of the USSR Sergey Korolyov, his death mask and hands cast, manuscripts, which demonstrates master plans of use of outer space.

Among items, belonged to Yuri Gagarin there’s a military uniform of the Air Force lieutenant colonel of the USSR and beret, which was given as a present to the first cosmonaut by Fidel Castro. In addition, you can see personal belongings of designer Michail Yangel, cosmonauts Pavel Belyaev, Victor Patsaev, Nikolay Rukavishnikov, flight map of Voshod-2, made by Alexey Leonov (with author’s autograph). Exhibition items will represent development of the soviet space program of 1970-1980s (Intercosmos program, Soyuz-Apollo program, Energia-Buran space program, orbital scientific research complex Mir).

Among guests, visited exhibition at its first day were cosmonaut Yuri Usachev, who spent 550 days in orbit and seven times was in outer space, Vice-President of the Space Federation of Russia Oleg Muchin, Russian engineer, specialist in design and production of rocket and space systems, writer and journalist Alexander Zheleznyakov, representatives of museums, archives, consulates. Yuri Usachev gave museum crystal helm as a present. This helm was made by sample of space suit of Gagarin. This item is also can be seen on the exhibition.

“Authors suggest visitors to follow the history of birth and development of rocketry and cosmonautics from theoretical justifications for interplanetary missions to real creation of the space sector in Russia”. - Director of the Museum of Political history of Russia said while opening the exhibition. “The project includes history of space race of the USSR and the USA, competition and cooperation between two space powers. The conclusion which was made by creators of the exhibition was: “Nowadays people reaches the limits of space exploration that no single power can take a further significant step in this direction”.

Evgeniy Artyomov said that on April 12 of 1961 he was in the Soviet army, was on duty in the Special Forces Unit and was assigned to recording conversations on a new, secret rate. “On that day April, 12 I couldn’t believe that I heard voice of the first cosmonaut. Only the next day people of the planet and I discovered who’s voice it was”.

Alexander Zheleznyakov mentioned that it was impossible to overestimate influence of Gagarin’s space flight on politics and international environment. “At that time Cold War was raging, strong controversy took place between the USSR and the USA, Gagarin’s space flight promotes destroying the barriers. The enthusiasm with which the flight was received in our country was comparable to that enthusiasm which the first astronaut was greeted abroad. The evidences could be seen on the exhibition as photographs took during Gagarin’s world tour, on that pictures one can see people who wanted to take a quick peek at the first cosmonaut”.

Exhibition “The Space. Dreams and politics” opened until the end of the year.