April 24

Vladimir Komarov was a distinguished Russian pilot and aerospace engineer selected for the first group of Soviet cosmonauts in 1960. He flew as a flight engineer on the Voskhod 1 mission in 1964, the first multi-person spaceflight. In April 1967, Komarov commanded the Soyuz 1 mission, which suffered parachute failures on reentry, leading to his tragic death. His sacrifice highlighted the risks of early space exploration and prompted major safety overhauls in the Soviet program. Komarov's pioneering spirit and dedication to spaceflight remain honored as a testament to human bravery in exploring the final frontier.