Vostok-3a No. 1, which launched on March 9 1961, was
a dog called Chernushka (born in 1957, died sometime after
1961). In the case of Vostok-3a No. 2 (March 25 1961), it
was a canine called Zvezdochka (also born in 1957, also
died sometime after 1961). The Vostok itself had been
intended to carry humans, but did not. The first
manoeuvrable Vostok-3a spacecraft, also known as
Sputnik-6, was launched from Baikonur carrying the dogs
Pchelka and Mushka at 0726 UT on December 1 1960,
weighing 4563kg. According to Sven Grahn’s Space
History Notes, the satellite entered an orbit at i = 64.97o
and 172-238km, the the type of orbit intended to be
used for manned flights in order to permit natural decay
after 10 days in case the retrorocket malfunctioned.
RUSSIAN CULTURAL-INFORMATION CENTRE
/Российский культурно-информационный центр/
Address: 23 Shipka Str, Sofia
Tel: 943 36 93 (library: 943 31 54)
[rkic-bg.com]
Open: 10.00 to 18.00
(library: 10.00 to 13.00, 14.00 to 18.00)
The Russian Cultural-Information Centre in Sofia opened in 1975 following an intergovernmental agreement (№ 213 from May 22 1975) to promote international research and cultural partnerships between the USSR and Bulgaria.
Thirty-two years later, this is still the case, though how it is gone about has probably changed a bit.
Its building is incredibly ugly on the outside; the inside isn’t pretty, either, but it has a certain, let’s say, communist-retro charm to it. Brown tiles, orange jello-coloured glass, austere lines and quasi-folk motifs. It’s big and spacious inside, or just engulfing.
The ground floor has a travel agency, some art/souvenir shops and a coffee distributor. On the first floor is a lunch counter, which serves tasty hot food cooked fresh for dirt cheap (everything is less than four leva). It’s a popular place, and in the summer, one can eat or have a drink outside on the patio (otherwise known as the top of the building wing).
I’d been told that the top storey of the building housed, after communism fell, the first fitness centre in Sofia. According to the lady who answered the phone, this is true, but it closed four years ago.
The Russian Centre’s library has a wide selection of books in Russian on all topics, along with Russian literary and scientific journals. It has two book clubs: Club of Friends of Russian Books, which has about 450 members from all walks of life, and National Club Roerich.
A rich cultural programme complements the centre’s offering of Russian language courses. Numerous weekly showings of Russian films new and old, lectures on the Orthodox religion, book presentations, live theatre and music productions for children and adults, along with lectures on artistic and musical topics, art exhibitions, and regular gatherings of the Russian Club and other Russian-oriented groups provide Russophiles with something to do.
Almost all events are free-of-charge, and are held in the Russian language. When I’ve asked before about the films, I was informed that they are shown in the original language and not sub-titled.
These are all held somewhere in the complex’s many halls and rooms.
Next to the Russian Centre’s building, or partially adjoining, is a restaurant that has, in the past three years, had three different names – Nov Standart, Bon Gusto and, most recently, Chergata (a traditional Bulgarian carpet). A separate establishment, it, like the lunch counter, does not serve Russian food.
In and of itself, the centre’s website provides useful links to specific information about Russia elsewhere on the internet.
But what really sets the place apart is its quaint model of Vostok-3a (1961).
