Flight Described

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29905, 20 August 1962, Page 9

Flight Described

Interviewed by Russian journalists, the two cosmonauts described the “interesting condition” of weightlessness in space. Major Nikolayev said of the trip: "All continents passed swiftly before our eyes Many towns were visible. especially at night, lit up by electric light We also saw mountains and rivers forests, oceans and seas “The moon looked not flat as from the earth, but like a ball hanging in empty space ” He described weightlessness in these words: "It is a very interesting condition to feel when one is not strapped to the seat ”

Free Floating Every day he had unstrapped himself and left the seat During free floating omi simply hung in space, not touching walls or the floor “To move, you can lightly push off from the wajl or floor and you will float slowly and smoothly, the movements of hands and feet preserving co-ordination.” Major Nikolayev said that when he was unstrapped he was able to carry on with communication and eat. “It is fully possible to live and work under weightlessness." he said

Colonel Popovich confirmed that “it is very, very interesting to stay unstrapped. "You are hung between heaven and earth, not supported by anything and you do not fall" Major Nikolayev said Mr Khrushchev "inspired me. lent me strength." by a personal message transmitted to him during his fourth orbit The messages “moved me so much that tears came to my eyes" "On the seventeenth circuit, my friend Pavel Popovich joined me. It became livelier in space. Now there were two of us "

He told how, when the order to land came, he said his “favourite word” to Colonel Popovich: “Pavel, keep cool, don’t get excited, everything will be O K." Major Nikolayev said they had a planned space schedule of alternative work and rest. “We worked and lived just as we do at home.” Colonel Popovich, referring to collecting scientific data, said: “I must say frankly we were not idle ”

He said the first person to meet him on earth was a doctor from the search group.

‘‘l noticed that a Kazakh youth was galloping towards me on a horse. A tractor was speeding from the other side “And I stood and smiled It was so wonderfully nice ”