Part 6/9:
In 1961, with lessons only partly learned, Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space. His successful mission, however, relied on calculated risks that revealed the Soviet Union's often reckless approach. The obsession with achievement over careful development continued, leading to a chain of events marked by tragedy, secrecy, and ineptitude.
Korolev’s death in 1966 marked a turning point. The leadership that followed lacked his brilliance, consequently propelling the space program into further danger. A culmination of hurried designs led to the ill-fated Soyuz 1 mission in 1967, resulting in the catastrophic death of cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov due to parachute failure after a series of malfunctions.