Quote:On November 28, 1960, the brothers were alerted to something strange.  An East German observatory announced that they had picked up a strange signal on the Soviet space frequencies.  When the Cordiglias tuned into that frequency, they picked up what sounded like a hand-keyed SOS signal.  The most disturbing thing about the signal is that it showed almost no relative speed which could only mean one thing: it was on a direct course away from the planet.  As the brothers listened, the signal grew weaker until it finally winked out.
The brothers had apparently just discovered evidence that a Soviet space capsule had gone off course and drifted permanently into outer space with a cosmonaut on board.

Two months later, the brothers detected another transmission.  This time, it seemed to be the labored breaths of an unconscious man and a heartbeat.  When they played the recording for their father, a cardiologist, he postulated that the heartbeat was of a man suffering cardiac arrest.

Two days later, the Soviets announced the failed re-entry of a large unmanned spacecraft.
In April of 1961, the brothers picked up the transmissions of Yuri Gargarin, the official first person to orbit the Earth.

The story wasn't over.  In fact, the most disturbing chapter was still to come.  In May of 1961, they picked up a new transmission.  It was a a woman's voice speaking in Russian.  Although she seemed calm and professional, her tone became more and more strained an panicked as the transmission continued and finally ceases.
The translation came out as, "Isn't this dangerous? Talk to me! Our transmission begins now. I feel hot. I can see a flame. Am I going to crash? Yes. I feel hot, I will re-enter..."