Monday, July 4, 2016

Scientific research vessel "Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin"

  "Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin" - scientific research vessel for controlling the spacecrafts to perform trajectory and telemetry, to liaise ground mission control points with the crews of space ships and stations. The largest and most powerful ship in its class. 
  Built in 1971 in Leningrad. Maximum length of 231.6 m, maximum width of 31.0 m, height of the board at the midsection of 15.4 m. Displacement with full stocks of 45,000 tonnes, sea gauge 8.5 m. The steam turbine power plant with capacity of 19,000 horsepower, the maximum travel speed up to 18 knots. Range continuous voyage of 20,000 miles. It has been attributed to the port of Odessa. From 1971 to 1991, the ship has fulfilled 20 cruises in the Atlantic Ocean. The main task was to control flights of satellites, manned spacecrafts and unmanned interplanetary stations.
  After the collapse of the USSR the ship passed under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence. It was not used for its intended purpose and based in the port of Yuzhny near Odessa. In 1996 the ship was sold for scrap at a price of 170$ per tonne for the Austrian company "Merkur Zuid" and disposed of.
  • Series: Scientific research fleet of USSR
  • Country: USSR
  • Year: 1979-12-25
  • Perforation: comb 12 x 11½
  • Printing: Photogravure and Recess
  • Face value: 10 kopecks
  • Number of catalogue Michel: SU 4910