The professions in the space industry are as romanticized as they are dangerous and associated with high risks, both in space and on Earth. October 24 in Soviet history is marked by tragic events at Baikonur in 1960 and 1963. On this day, no high-risk technological work or launches of carrier rockets are carried out at Russian cosmodromes.
With a difference of three years, two major disasters occurred at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which served as a reason for establishing October 24 as the Day of Remembrance for the deceased testers of rocket and space technology.
65 years ago, on October 24, 1960, during preparations for the first tests of the R-16 intercontinental ballistic missile, a technical malfunction and subsequent non-compliance with safety regulations during its elimination resulted in an unauthorized launch of the second stage engine of the rocket. The ensuing explosion claimed the lives of 78 people — engineers, military personnel, and test site workers, including the commander-in-chief of the Strategic Missile Forces, Marshal of Artillery Mitrofan Nedelin.
Exactly three years later, on October 24, 1963, during work with a training model of the R-9A intercontinental ballistic missile, a fire broke out in the launch shaft, in which eight people died.
No less tragic events, honored on the day of remembrance, occurred later at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome.
In 1973, at the Plesetsk test site, during preparations for draining rocket fuel components from the Kosmos-3M carrier rocket after a failed launch, an explosion occurred. A fire broke out in the service tower, claiming the lives of nine military personnel and engineers.
And on March 18, 1980, during preparations for the launch of the Vostok-2M carrier rocket, an explosion occurred due to a design flaw in the rocket and violation of safety procedures, taking the lives of 48 people.
The result of all these events was a revision of the approach to safety technologies in the rocket and space industries. Cosmodromes hold a minute of silence and events dedicated to the memory of rocket scientists who died during rocket technology tests.