Energia is a commercial enterprise that encompasses most of what was the Russian Government's space and missile activity. The Energia plant that we visited is in Kaliningrad, which has been renamed to Korolev, after the leading figure in Russian rocketry. Note that Victor Korolev's identity was kept a secret during the Cold War era. The Energia plant, about 30 miles from the center of Moscow, is located behind concrete walls topped with barbed wire. Behind that is an electric fence and a guard dog run. There are also lights and video cameras. One enters the plant through a large gate that leads into an enclosed area called a trap. There, a guard with a machine gun determines your intentions and is directed to let you in, detain you, or force you to leave. We were not allowed to take pictures of any of this part of the Energia plant. However, on the plant grounds is a fascinating space museum that only those who make it past the trap get to see. We were allowed to take all the pictures we wanted in the museum.
A typical Russian Vostok one-person spacecraft.
These tend to look a lot alike.
I think that this is the one that held Valerie Tereshkova, first
woman in space.
As with all of the early Russian manned spacecraft, the cosmonaut
gets into an ejection seat that is in one of the two round holes.
Another Vostok, with the ejection seat seen at left.
I think that this is Gagarin's spacecraft.
Russian manned spacecraft descend over land.
The cosmonaut ejects from the capsule and discards the ejection
seat, coming down on a parachute.
The clear plastic cover is just a snot guard for tourists.
Or maybe this one is Gagarin's.
Or Ms. Tereshkova's.
The actual spacecraft from which Alexei Leonov made the first spacewalk.
For more on this story,
see the Zvezda museum.
This is a two-man Voskhod spacecraft, but the design is very similar.
Me being extremely uncomfortable in this Voskhod spacecraft, which
actually did fly, albeit long before I got in it.
I am a short person, but it's really cramped in there.
The fellow traveler is a dummy (also).
Same thing, with Ilia Rosenberg riding shotgun instead of me.
An exploded view of Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite,
which started the Space Race.
Prototype of Sputnik 2.
Note the model of a dog in the lower part of the satellite.
Yes, I clipped off the top of it, but there's nothing much there,
trust me.
Prototype of Sputnik 3.
With the weird antennas, this one looks like it's out of an
old grade-B science fiction movie.
Danger, Will Robinson!
The guts of the preceding.
Prototype of Luna 2, a moon probe.
Looks like a fancy pressure cooker.
You could put your eye out with that thing!
Prototype of Luna 3, another moon probe.
Obviously, someone's been buying solar cells.
Interior of Luna 3.
I think this is the prototype of Luna 9.
It has a unique solar concentrator design.
Ilia leaves some fingerprints.
Prototype of Venera 2, a Venus probe.
Prototype of Molniya communications satellite.
I think this is the prototype of a Zenit satellite.
The Soyuz 19 descent vehicle that was part of the Apollo-Soyuz
Test Project.
Cosmonaut and astronaut signatures are on the outside.
(Spacecraft are worth more when they're autographed.)
APAS stands for Androgynous Peripheral Docking Assembly or something.
A docking adapter developed for Apollo-Soyuz and also used on ISS.
Me with whatsit.
According to the tour book, this is the descent capsule and parachute
for a Progress spacecraft, used to resupply Mir and ISS.
A Soyuz on the left, a Voshkod on the right.
A guitar, used aboard a Salyut space station, for entertainment,
presumably.
Ilia saying "cheese" next to a Russian Orlan space suit.
Same deal, me instead of Ilia.
The strange umbilical connector on the Orlan suit.
(All umbilical connectors tend to look strange to me.)
And probably the best picture I made on the entire trip.
A shower used in some Russian spacecraft, not sure which.
I can't swear that this picture is right-side up.
Victor Korolev's desk and work area, preserved in the museum.
Sorry about the reflection.
Several countries sent gifts to Energia.
This display is from Japan.
Someone had a sense of humor, because
on each side are Japanese-made appliances that are sold under
the brand name Energia in some countries.
Author: Porter Clark <jpc@suespammers.org>
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Last update: December 31, 2001
