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Space superstition
Cosmonauts is perhaps the most superstitious people on the planet. In flight they take on the tradition with a sprig of tarragon, since it keeps longer than other plants smell and resembles Earth, but on the launch pad crew decided to accompany the song "Earth through the porthole".
Black Monday and unlucky dates
Start "space superstition" put the famous General Designer Sergei Korolev. It is known that the king did not like starts on Monday and always bore the date if it falls on Monday. Why - and remains a great mystery. However, their views Korolev defended at the top, because of this, even ignite serious conflict. Spaceships on Mondays in the Soviet Union did not fly - the first three years of the space age. Then started flying, there were 11 accidents. Since 1965 Monday as the Soviet, and now Russian space almost official "did not start" day.
There Baikonur and "unfortunate choice." Start never appoint October 24. On this day, do not spend on the launch pad no serious work. October 24, 1960 on the launch pad at Baikonur exploded launcher of ICBMs R-16, killing dozens of people. October 24, 1963 on the launch pad broke rocket R-9A. Burned eight people.
Happy operator
Another superstition famous designer was "happy" operator, which has always pushed for the team on the "Start", the captain Smirnitsky. Neither missile launch did not do without Smirnitsky. Even when he has had eczema, he still pressed the button, because Korolev believed that the man "light hand".
The same Korolev, strictly forbidden to appear at the launch site during the launch of one of its constructors (once during his watch there was some trouble), and personally saw to it that he did not seem even the nose.
Autographs
Astronauts never give autographs before the first flight. Some signings principle avoid black ink. However, the crew certainly signs on the bottle of vodka that drink already on the ground, in the Kazakh steppe after a successful flight.
I am pleased to sign autographs astronauts left on the door of a hotel room, where they spent the night before the start. Paint over or wash these autographs is strictly prohibited.
Alcohol
The first time "consumed" is possible - 12 days before the start, when the main and backup crews arrived to Baikonur to "his release". Astronauts "double" to miss 100 grams of pure industrial alcohol. "The basic structure" can only drink a sip of champagne - after approval by the State Commission in the crew.
For half an hour before the start of the astronauts drink-doubles "for good luck" basic composition together with the journalists. Total double doubles did not participate in this tradition. The cases were unsuccessful, and since then a half-hour a tradition kept holy. After returning from the flight, the astronauts put their nominal tree in the alley of cosmonauts in Baikonur.
The woman on the board
They say that because of the superstitions Valentina Tereshkova were afraid to send into space - all recall the old marine omen at the expense of a woman on the ship. But the Soviet leadership did not differ superstition. In 1963, on the eve of International Women's Conference in Moscow in space I had to fly it is the woman.
Themselves with a mustache
The space for a long time were not allowed baleen. During the flight, the mustachioed Victor Zholobova been a problem, and the program had to be stopped early.
Other oddities kosmonavtskie
Together with the crew into space goes soft toy, which plays not only the role of the mascot, but also helps astronauts to capture the moment when it is the state of weightlessness.
Start of a spacecraft astronauts can never be the "last": for example, "the latter start to the Mir space station ..." prefer to be called "extreme", "final". Also, the astronauts never say goodbye to the mourners.
Astronauts from the stairs before entering the cabin must wave goodbye.
At the launch site in Plesetsk before starting the launcher on it, they will say, "Tanya." It is said that name gave the first rocket in love with Tanya kind of officer. One day, when you forget to bring to a happy body name, before the start of the rocket exploded.
One day before the start made to watch the film "White Sun of the Desert", for more than 30 years, so do all the astronauts. This is due to a tragic chapter in the history of Russian cosmonautics: death June 30, 1971 while returning to Earth crew of Dobrovolsky, Volkov and Patsaeva. Next flight on "Soyuz-12" was held successfully, and the astronauts found that the pre-flight crew watched the movie "White Sun of the Desert". The following crews also viewed the picture. After all flew into space without any problems.
Astronauts have considered it a rule to pee on the wheel of the bus, train bringing them to the launch pad. After that suit them tightly buttoned, and the next opportunity to relieve present only a few hours in the open space. I ritual kind of went from the time of Yuri Gagarin, who asked to stop the car in the Kazakh steppe on the way to the "Baikonur". Others believe the founder of this tradition, the general designer Sergei Korolev, who certainly watered the rocket before launch.
Finally before the start of the astronauts get a kick from the head of a friendly.
But with the number 13 at any particular superstitions Russian cosmonauts and rocket scientists not connected. Of course, this number is very few people like it, but obsession with "Friday the 13th" we just do not. But NASA 13th of do not like - had already been unpleasant incidents. So, the famous moon "Apollo 13" off the ground to the satellite on April 11 and April 13 explosion aboard the ship - blew up one of the oxygen tanks.
Black Monday and unlucky dates
Start "space superstition" put the famous General Designer Sergei Korolev. It is known that the king did not like starts on Monday and always bore the date if it falls on Monday. Why - and remains a great mystery. However, their views Korolev defended at the top, because of this, even ignite serious conflict. Spaceships on Mondays in the Soviet Union did not fly - the first three years of the space age. Then started flying, there were 11 accidents. Since 1965 Monday as the Soviet, and now Russian space almost official "did not start" day.
There Baikonur and "unfortunate choice." Start never appoint October 24. On this day, do not spend on the launch pad no serious work. October 24, 1960 on the launch pad at Baikonur exploded launcher of ICBMs R-16, killing dozens of people. October 24, 1963 on the launch pad broke rocket R-9A. Burned eight people.
Happy operator
Another superstition famous designer was "happy" operator, which has always pushed for the team on the "Start", the captain Smirnitsky. Neither missile launch did not do without Smirnitsky. Even when he has had eczema, he still pressed the button, because Korolev believed that the man "light hand".
The same Korolev, strictly forbidden to appear at the launch site during the launch of one of its constructors (once during his watch there was some trouble), and personally saw to it that he did not seem even the nose.
Autographs
Astronauts never give autographs before the first flight. Some signings principle avoid black ink. However, the crew certainly signs on the bottle of vodka that drink already on the ground, in the Kazakh steppe after a successful flight.
I am pleased to sign autographs astronauts left on the door of a hotel room, where they spent the night before the start. Paint over or wash these autographs is strictly prohibited.
Alcohol
The first time "consumed" is possible - 12 days before the start, when the main and backup crews arrived to Baikonur to "his release". Astronauts "double" to miss 100 grams of pure industrial alcohol. "The basic structure" can only drink a sip of champagne - after approval by the State Commission in the crew.
For half an hour before the start of the astronauts drink-doubles "for good luck" basic composition together with the journalists. Total double doubles did not participate in this tradition. The cases were unsuccessful, and since then a half-hour a tradition kept holy. After returning from the flight, the astronauts put their nominal tree in the alley of cosmonauts in Baikonur.
The woman on the board
They say that because of the superstitions Valentina Tereshkova were afraid to send into space - all recall the old marine omen at the expense of a woman on the ship. But the Soviet leadership did not differ superstition. In 1963, on the eve of International Women's Conference in Moscow in space I had to fly it is the woman.
Themselves with a mustache
The space for a long time were not allowed baleen. During the flight, the mustachioed Victor Zholobova been a problem, and the program had to be stopped early.
Other oddities kosmonavtskie
Together with the crew into space goes soft toy, which plays not only the role of the mascot, but also helps astronauts to capture the moment when it is the state of weightlessness.
Start of a spacecraft astronauts can never be the "last": for example, "the latter start to the Mir space station ..." prefer to be called "extreme", "final". Also, the astronauts never say goodbye to the mourners.
Astronauts from the stairs before entering the cabin must wave goodbye.
At the launch site in Plesetsk before starting the launcher on it, they will say, "Tanya." It is said that name gave the first rocket in love with Tanya kind of officer. One day, when you forget to bring to a happy body name, before the start of the rocket exploded.
One day before the start made to watch the film "White Sun of the Desert", for more than 30 years, so do all the astronauts. This is due to a tragic chapter in the history of Russian cosmonautics: death June 30, 1971 while returning to Earth crew of Dobrovolsky, Volkov and Patsaeva. Next flight on "Soyuz-12" was held successfully, and the astronauts found that the pre-flight crew watched the movie "White Sun of the Desert". The following crews also viewed the picture. After all flew into space without any problems.
Astronauts have considered it a rule to pee on the wheel of the bus, train bringing them to the launch pad. After that suit them tightly buttoned, and the next opportunity to relieve present only a few hours in the open space. I ritual kind of went from the time of Yuri Gagarin, who asked to stop the car in the Kazakh steppe on the way to the "Baikonur". Others believe the founder of this tradition, the general designer Sergei Korolev, who certainly watered the rocket before launch.
Finally before the start of the astronauts get a kick from the head of a friendly.
But with the number 13 at any particular superstitions Russian cosmonauts and rocket scientists not connected. Of course, this number is very few people like it, but obsession with "Friday the 13th" we just do not. But NASA 13th of do not like - had already been unpleasant incidents. So, the famous moon "Apollo 13" off the ground to the satellite on April 11 and April 13 explosion aboard the ship - blew up one of the oxygen tanks.
