The history of space exploration is replete with legends and myths. All these stories are capable of causing, at the same time, horror and admiration. They have long been part of our great history. Remaining in the memory of a whole generation of people, one way or another, associated with the development of near-earth orbit. Unfortunately, most of these myths do not have material proof. However, even among the legends, there are exceptions. The biggest mystery happened on May 17, 1961. It was on this day that two Italian radio amateurs (now such enthusiasts are called "radio spots"), the Italian brothers Achille and Giovanni Battista Judica-Cordigliovi, recorded a very strange and terrible radio broadcast.
But first, a few words about the Cordilovi brothers. In 1957, near Turin, in an old German WWII bunker, they installed a very powerful radio station. The uniqueness of the radio station was in its universal antenna. The antenna, parabolic in shape, made it possible to effectively listen to the broadcast. But the brothers were interested in only one topic. They listened to the VHF band hoping to hear the astronauts' talks. And since, at the beginning of the 60s, the USSR had absolute leadership in space exploration, it was the Soviet cosmonauts who were tapped. As they write on the Internet: “The Battista brothers were able to achieve great success, even professionals envied them: the Italians not only presented the signals from the first Soviet and American satellites to the world, but also made their tape recordings. With the help of several other radio amateurs, the Italians created a triangulation network. With the help of this network, they very accurately determined the location of the object sending the signals. Even NASA was interested in the results of Italian amateurs, which invited the brothers to America to share their experience. " Even then, tape recordings made from orbit caused serious controversy and scandals. All this happened due to the complete self-isolation of the USSR. The country behind the Iron Curtain, surrounded by imaginary and real enemies, kept complete silence. All disasters that happened with missiles before Gagarin's flight, as well as after him, were classified. And if people died, their names remained a state secret. And the dead were many. Someone burned out in orbit, as the control system of the spacecraft was out of order. Someone is forever lost in spaceafter the engines gave maximum thrust and threw the poor fellow far out of earth's orbit. Someone died at the start on the launch pad. What happened at Baikonur on October 24, 1960. During maintenance and preparation for the launch of the R-16 rocket, the second stage engine accidentally turned on. The fuel tanks caught fire and subsequently exploded. Help from the Internet: “According to official data, 74 people died in the fire. Later, four more people died from burns and wounds (according to other sources, from 92 to 126 people died). Among the dead was the commander-in-chief of the Strategic Missile Forces, Chief Marshal of Artillery MI Nedelin. " So there were many dead. Our country has paid a great price for the primacy of being in space. But even in the midst of these events, what happened on May 17, 1961 is a real horror. Then again there are quotes from the Internet:“And soon after Gagarin's flight, on May 17, 1961, Battista Giudica-Cordilovi recorded a female voice talking to a ground station and again in Russian. The brothers made the recording because they knew for sure that the voice came from the Earth's orbit. From the recorded conversation, it can be understood that the ship has lost its heat shield, and it is gradually burning up in the atmosphere. Moreover, immediately after the Italians' statement about the interception of the signal, on May 23, 1961, the Soviet TASS agency reported that a huge automatic satellite had burned out in the dense layers of the atmosphere. And although there is no way to check this information - well, not to ask Russia about it - it is interesting that at about the same time unknown signals were caught by the British radio telescope Jodrell Bank. The British decided on the signal frequency that it was the Soviet satellite "Venera-1",allegedly launched to Venus and communication with which was lost shortly after he reached Earth's orbit. This record has survived to this day. Nobody changed it, officials never commented on it. The agony of a woman who was burnt alive remained another terrible legend, the legend of the "red space". Of course, the fact that TASS reported the real death of an automatic station (of the Venera type) only added questions and gave rise to another batch of rumors. However, the original recording was of poor quality. Abounded with interference. The woman's voice was illegible, the words slurred. Only certain phrases are clear. But even according to them, many experts noted a foreign accent in the woman's voice. Which gave rise to doubt that this record was real. For 56 years, this mystery remained unsolved. Therefore, I really wanted to solve it. Taking the original recording,I tried to completely clean it from extraneous noise and interference. The legally purchased software helped me in this. Adobe Audition CC 2015 program. The most modern and powerful complex for processing sound files. When I received a blank tape, I was literally amazed. The woman's voice, her remarks, phrases … Of course, Russian is not her native language. But the USSR was a multinational country. A woman could be Ukrainian or a resident of Estonia, or Lithuania, or Latvia. But she spoke Russian (apparently not her native language) very well. The numbers she says can be a cipher, a set of code phrases, instrument readings. She also talks about the breakdown of the altimeter. An altimeter or altimeter is a flight and navigation device that indicates flight altitude. According to the principle of the device, altimeters are divided into barometric and radio-technical (otherwise radio altimeters). Reports of a crack in the cockpit, possibly damaged coating that protects the ship from heat. Panic, repeatedly, repeats about a sharp rise in temperature in the ship itself. She is fully conscious, clearly realizing the inevitability of her end. However, he finds the courage to respond to the MCC. At the end of the recording, she reports that she sees a flame. This was the very last second of the radio recording. And then eternity comes. At the end of the recording, she reports that she sees a flame. This was the very last second of the radio recording. And then eternity comes. At the end of the recording, she reports that she sees a flame. This was the very last second of the radio recording. And then eternity comes.
Quote from the Internet: “After Gagarin's flight, they were looking for pretty girls-parachutists in all the country's aero clubs - Khrushchev really wanted a Soviet woman to become the first in space. A detachment of future cosmonauts was formed in 1962. It includes Valentina Tereshkova, Zhanna Yorkina, Tatyana Kuznetsova, Valentina Ponomareva and Irina Solovyova. Sergei Korolev himself commanded the “parade”. But, apparently, the very first woman was the very same Lyudmila. And she made her fatal flight on May 17, 1961. I did not find the strength to somehow assess the veracity of the original recording. However, it seems to me it is real. And if so, then let this "restored" phonogram be a virtual monument. In memory of all those who died in the name of the triumph of science. Making our country a great space power. May this woman's voice remain in our memory forever. And I am sure that once you hear, you will never forget the USSR cosmonaut "Lyudmila", cosmonaut No. …
Achilles and Giovanni Battista Giudica-Cordilovi.
The radio station that recorded this broadcast in 1960.
Woman in Earth Orbit (ISS today).
Station of the type “ Venus-1 ”.
Valentin Degterev. Internet journalist. Specialization in the genre of searching for various artifacts.
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