Vladimir Beilin (Russian, 20th C.) "Vostok I in Orbit" Watercolor. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was published on the Fleetwood First Day of Issue Maximum Card for the Russia Vostok I stamp issued May 29, 1992. Piloted by space pioneer Yuri Gagarin, Vostok I blasted into the skies above the USSR's Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 12, 1961. Launched less than four years after the comparatively simple Sputnik I became the first artificial satellite, Vostok I was incredibly advanced for its time. Burning liquid oxygen and kerosene, its main engines developed nearly a million pounds of thrust. (By comparison, the rocket that carried the first Americans into orbit was less than half as powerful.) Vostok I's manned module was automatically controlled from the ground, however it had emergency controls for Gagarin. Vostok I also included a TV camera to monitor the cosmonaut, complex life-support and monitoring systems, and even a food locker (though Gagarin's pioneering flight lasted less than two hours). Upon his return to Earth, Gagarin inspected the Vostok I, which -- despite its hard landing -- he proudly described as "in good enough shape to be used for another space flight." Image Size: 8.5 x 12 in. Overall Size: 10.5 x 15.25 in. Unframed. (B13798)