2-548-201 - © Fine Art Images/Heritage Images

Last steps of Russian cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, Baikonur Cosmodrome, USSR, 23 April 1967. Vladimir Komarov (1927-1967) was one of the first group of cosmonauts selected to take part in the Soviet space programme in 1960. In 1967 he was selected to pilot the Soyuz 1 spacecraft, which was intended to fly to the Moon. His flight on Soyuz 1 on 23 April 1967 made Komarov the first man to fly into space more than once, but he was tragically killed the next day when the spacecraft crashed after re-entry. Found in the collection of the State Museum of History, Moscow.