8. Setting a manned spacecraft altitude record, as well as carrying for the first time more than one individual, Voskhod 1 saw space travel enter into a new stage on October 12, 1964
Launching on the morning of October 12, 1964, and carrying for the first time a crew of more than one – three – Voskhod 1 marked an important milestone in the history of space travel. Lasting only a little over twenty-four hours, coinciding with the flight of Voskhod 1 was the removal of Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev; his replacement, Leonid Brezhnev, made his first public appearance as the new head of state with the returning cosmonauts. The mission also set new records for altitude, reaching a height of 336 kilometers above the Earth, and its use of non-military pilots represented a minute shift away from military control over the space program.
Voskhod 1‘s mission was not without controversy. Lacking sufficient space, being originally designed for just two passengers, the crew of the spacecraft were required to forego spacesuits for the first time. Equally, the spacecraft had its ejection seats and emergency parachutes removed to make additional space. Furthermore, due to extreme politicking surrounding the launch, the original crew of Voskhod 1 were rejected just three days prior to their scheduled departure and replaced with comparatively untrained, but well-connected, individuals. Consequently, although the United States responded fearfully, being far behind with Project Gemini, the Soviet Union privately viewed the entire saga as an undisciplined “circus”.