Vostok 5 was a joint mission with Vostok 6 which launched two days after Vostok 5. The capsule was piloted by Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky. The mission was intended to last 8 days, but the capsule returned to Earth just after 5 due to a lower then intended orbit and solar flare activity. The mission began on 14 June 1963, 11:58:58 UTC and ended on 19 June 1963, 11:06 UTC. June 14, 1963 at 11:58 UTC · Launch Successful Vostok-K — Soviet Space Program, to Low Earth Orbit 1/5, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan Crew: Valery Bykovsky The world's 253rd orbital launch attempt, and 29th of 1963. Program: Vostok Data: Launch Library 2, The Space Devs. Image via The Space Devs.