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Russian
Spacecraft To Provide Space And History
Enlightenment To Oklahomans
Sister Craft to
World's First Manned Spacecraft on display at Omniplex |
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OKLAHOMA CITY - One of
history's most significant spacecrafts has disembarked at Omniplex.Serving
as a monumental testament to the advancements the world has achieved in
space exploration over the past 50 years, the Soviet Space Agency's Vostok
3KA-2 spacecraft was the fifth and last unmanned VOSTOK test crafts whose
efforts successfully set into motion the manned flight era of space
exploration with its successful launch and recovery efforts in the early
1960s. The spacecraft is currently on loan from the Kaller's America
Gallery.
Sent into space March 25, 1961, this $75 million Soviet
capsule was "piloted" by Ivan Ivanovich, a mannequin, and
a live dog, Zvezdochka. After orbiting the earth with his canine
companion for 115 minutes, Ivan and Zvevdochka were both successfully
ejected upon re-entry and landed near the Ural Mountains.
The success of this capsule convinced the Soviet
decision makers the time had come to launch the first man into space. One
expert and author claimed, "Vostok 3KA-2 was the key in the door for
Gagarin's flight." Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space on
April 11, 1961, just 8 days after Vostok 3KA-2's launch.
This spacecraft is the twin sister to the first craft
to fly man into the cosmos, and since it preceded the Gagarin flight, it
can be seen as the most significant original space vehicle ever to be
exhibited in the western world.
"The significance of this spacecraft cannot be
overstated," said museum curator Michael Shanklin. "This is a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for museum guests to view the only flown
Russian VOSTOK in American and the flown Gemini VI spacecrafts in
the same venue."
The VOSTOK 3KA-2 spacecraft is currently on
display and will be added to the newly constructed space gallery upon its
completion in February 2005 at Omniplex. The gallery will also house
several other significant Kaller artifacts including:
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- Oklahoman Shannon Lucid's Russian
Spacesuit for the Shuttle-MIR mission
- Apollo 11 Lunar landing
"insurance" stamped cover (signed by mission astronauts if
in the event they died during the mission, their families would
receive compensation)
- Cooperation in Space Document-
"The Space Magna Carta" signed in space during the Apollo
Soyuz mission with the Soviet cosmonauts on July 17, 1975 (one of
four in the world, including Oklahoma astronaut Tom Stafford's
signature)
- Vostok 6 Voice Recorder Box-
Valentina Tereshkova's (first woman in space) voice recorder box
- Deke Slayton's slide rule used
throughout his career
- Small cloth flag with Christian cross
with letter from Oklahoman Gordon Cooper saying flag was "in the
sealed packet in my flight suit jacket on Mercury Atlas 9."
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Kaller's America
Gallery, Inc. and Kaller Historical Documents, Inc. have been the industry
leaders in building museum quality collections of historic manuscripts,
letters, art, rare books and other historical artifacts. The companies
have acquired thousands of historically significant items that have
captured the inspiration, ideas and moments that have shaped the modern
world. For more information on this and other collections, log on to www.americagallery.com
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Omniplex museum admission is $7.50 for adults and $6
for seniors and children, plus tax. Children under three and museum
members are admitted free. Admission includes access to all Omnplex
exhibits and planetarium. Combo tickets including admission to the
OmniDome Theater presentations can be purchased for $4 more for adults and
$3.50 more for seniors and children.
Omniplex, a Smithsonian affiliate, is located in the
heart of Oklahoma City's Adventure District at 2100 NE 52nd Street in
Oklahoma City. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9a.m. to 5p.m.; Saturday, 9a.m. to
6p.m.; and Sunday, 11a.m. to 6p.m. For more information, call (405)
602-OMNI or visit the Omniplex Web site at www.omniplex.org.
For more exhibit information, please call (405)602-OMNI
or visit www.omniplex.org
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