The question of the existence of life on other planets has been tormenting the minds of scientists and common man. Previously, space seemed to be something mysterious and unknown, mysterious and inexplicable. With the development of technology, this mystery is still being successfully solved. It all started with the launch of the first satellite into orbit, which made it possible to obtain data on the high layers of the atmosphere. Another giant leap in space exploration is the study of the nearest celestial body - the Moon. But the most memorable and large-scale event in the whole world is the first flight into space. Cosmonauts are a category of people that always evoke awe and delight. They see the incredible beauty of planet Earth. And who, if not they, can say what the Universe is? So who are they - Russian cosmonauts, and what secrets does space hide?

The need for space exploration

Modern navigators, satellite dishes and television seem ordinary and everyday, but this became possible only thanks to space exploration. His energy is colossal; it has enormous potential for the development of all spheres of life on the planet. Below are the most important aspects in the need to study the Universe:

• Weather forecasting. The Met Office provides weather reports every day across the country. Heavy rains, heavy snowfall, raging winds or calm windless weather - all this is predicted by data from space, thanks to which safety measures can be taken in time in case of emergency.
• In addition to planets, the expanses of the Universe are plowed by the remains of once-existing stars, comets, asteroids, and meteorites. Their trajectory is unpredictable and their composition is unknown. Free wandering in the vastness of the Universe and the likelihood of their collision with the Earth can be monitored using special equipment in observatories and catastrophes on a global scale can be prevented in time.
• Space exploration is important for the security of a country. Missiles, torpedoes or other weapons can cause significant harm to residents or the settlement as a whole. To prevent this, special satellites are used to monitor outer space and take action in the event of an attack.

• Asteroids are rich in rare precious metals: platinum, gold, silver. Modern equipment allows them to be extracted, thereby affecting the Earth in smaller quantities and allowing its integrity to be preserved.
• Information for planes, ships, cars comes directly from space. This allows you to plot the correct route and see in time an obstacle that interferes with movement.
• The environmental situation is one of the most important problems V modern times. Waste plastic, household chemicals, metal production takes up huge areas on the planet and causes significant harm environment and human health. Exploring outer space for waste disposal will help solve this global problem.

These important components are great value for the development of all spheres of human activity. The space of outer space is unique, vast and fraught with many interesting things. And it is necessary to study it.

First steps in the field of astronautics

For the first time, the USSR decided to find out what was beyond the planet. On October 4, 1957, the first satellite was launched - PS-1 (stands for Simplest Sputnik-1). Many scientists and designers worked on the creation of the satellite, including Mikhail Klavdievich Tikhonravov, who developed the satellite, and Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, who created the launch vehicle. It was he who launched the satellite into orbit.

PS-1: flight results and significance for the country

PS-1 was launched from the Research Institute of Test Site No. 5 (now Baikonur). 4 hours after launch, the satellite gave a signal; it was heard for several minutes, after which it disappeared into outer space. The device successfully reached orbit and moved along it for about three months, completing more than 1,400 revolutions around the Earth. But at some point the fuel supply system failed, which led to malfunctions in one of the engines. Because of this, the satellite began to descend and burned up in the atmosphere. And yet the launch of the first Earth satellite is the most grandiose event in the whole world. This marked the beginning of the space race between the two superpowers - the USSR and the USA.

Satellite flight results:

• Successful testing technical condition device and checking the calculations for its launch.
• The ability to study the ionosphere using radio waves coming from a satellite from space and passing through the atmosphere.
• Study upper layers atmosphere. Data can be obtained by observing the vehicle and its speed as it rubs against the atmosphere.

PS-1 was simple in its design; it did not have special sensors, but despite this, scientists obtained important data about the Earth’s atmosphere, which is necessary in the study of the planet.

Laika in space

Before cosmonauts from Russia, the USSR and other countries began to explore space, dogs were the first to enter the vastness of the Universe. In November 1957, the astronaut dog Laika flew into space. In the device where Laika was flying, special sensors were installed to monitor the dog’s well-being. In addition, there was an automatic power supply and a special installation for saturating the cabin with oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. The device with the dog on board had already been on the way for several hours when it died from overheating due to an undeveloped thermal regulation system.

Belka and Strelka

On August 19, 1960, the Sputnik 5 spacecraft was launched with the dogs Belka and Strelka. As in the case of the Laika, everything necessary was installed in the cockpit, but bad experience showed that improvement of previous shortcomings is required. The dogs endured the flight calmly, without visible deviations from the norm. The flight was recorded on film, where all comments and deviations could later be viewed.

At the appointed time, the device with dogs on board landed successfully. After the examination they felt satisfactory.

Animals in the vastness of the Universe: contribution to the development of astronautics

The flight of Belka and Strelka into space left an indelible mark on the exploration of outer space. The data obtained from the flight of dogs shows that a person can fly around the Earth, but with fewer revolutions. And a few months later, the first man flies into space - Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin.

Human space flight

This event became significant throughout the world. Unprecedented discoveries have been made in this area that have made it possible to bring a person into open space. And this happened on April 12, 1961. The first person in the world to fly into space was Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin. He was born on March 9, 1934 in the small village of Klushino.

In 1945, the whole family moved to Gzhatsk (which was later renamed in honor of the astronaut). In 1951, he became a student at the Saratov Industrial College and, having joined an amateur flying club in 1954, made his first flight on an airplane. This predetermined his future life. As a future cosmonaut, Yuri underwent constant medical commissions, hard training. In parallel with this, the Vostok-1 ship, on which the flight will be carried out, was being developed to perfection.

On April 12, 1961, a spaceship with a man on board launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The flight itself lasted less than two hours, the device made one revolution around the planet. At the beginning of the flight, the ship gained a slightly higher altitude than planned. But the special coating prevented the device from burning out upper layers atmosphere. In general, the flight went smoothly, without any incidents.

But when the ship was descending for landing, problems occurred in the braking system, so the device landed further than planned. Nevertheless, Yuri Gagarin successfully completed the mission. The astronaut was greeted with honors by his family and the country's top leadership. Subsequently he traveled to different countries, where he was warmly received. Nowadays, April 12 is celebrated as Cosmonautics Day, and Yu. A. Gagarin will forever be remembered as the first person to fly into space.

Further exploration of outer space

After Yuri Gagarin's flight, cosmonauts from Russia and other countries actively explored space. During the flights, unique data about the planet was obtained, and extensive research was carried out on the influence of space on daily life earthlings, many discoveries have been made in this area.

The cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia made a special contribution to the development of this field. A list and photos of them are presented to your attention:

• Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin. He flew on April 12, 1961, the first man in space in human history.
• German Stepanovich Titov, who flew on August 6, 1961. The first cosmonaut to spend 24 hours in zero gravity.
• Nikolaev Andriyan Grigorievich, who made his first flight on August 11, 1962.
• Popovich Pavel Romanovich. The flight took place on August 12, 1962. This is the world's first flight of two ships (together with Nikolaev A.G.).
• Bykovsky Valery Fedorovich. The first flight took place on June 14, 1963.
• Kaleri Alexander Yurievich. He flew on March 17, 1992 as a flight engineer on the Soyuz TM-24 spacecraft.

This list is very long, and this is only a small part of it. In fact, there are a lot of astronauts. This once again shows that space was actively studied at that time. This made a significant contribution to the development of astronautics and aviation.

Russia in space exploration

In modern times, outer space is studied more specifically. Newest technologies allow you to obtain more accurate data; calculations are carried out on powerful computers in literally a matter of seconds. By the way, in the USSR it took more than an hour. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky is one of the first scientists who proposed using a rocket engine for speed spacecraft. Now it has been brought to perfection. Cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia, as well as other countries, must know all the intricacies of the ship, its structure, and capabilities. It is important to be able to behave in certain circumstances.

Below is a small list of Russian cosmonauts in chronological order who flew into space:

• Kaleri Alexander Yurievich. On March 17, 1992, he made his first flight as a flight engineer on the Soyuz TM-24 spacecraft.
• Avdeev Sergey Vasilievich. On July 27, 1992, he went into space as a flight engineer on the Soyuz TM-15 spacecraft.
• Poleshchuk Alexander Fedorovich. The flight took place on January 24, 1993 on the Soyuz TM-16.
• Vasily Vasilievich Tsibliev flew into space on July 1, 1993.

This is for everyone famous astronauts Russia. Photos of some of them are presented in this article.

Women in space

You can find information about astronauts in any source. Prominent people who left a huge mark on history are the Russian cosmonauts. The list and photos, years of life of these people - information that is freely available. And now we will talk about the fair sex in astronautics. Even in Soviet times, cosmonauts were seen as something “transcendental,” “heavenly.” Children of that time dreamed of stars and actively studied this science. It must be said that many have achieved significant success in this area, as evidenced by their names, which are on everyone’s lips.

It always seemed that Russian cosmonauts were purely men. After successful flights, they decided to launch the first woman into space. And this woman was Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova. She came from a simple family. His father, a tractor driver, died in the war in 1939, his mother was a textile factory worker. The girl was gifted; science was easy for her at school. IN free time she played the domra.

Growing up, Valentina became interested in parachuting, and this played in her favor when choosing candidates for space flight. She made her first flight on June 16, 1963 from Baikonur on the Vostok-6 ship. Overall, the flight, which lasted three days, went well. Despite feeling unwell, the female cosmonaut completed the task (keeping a logbook and taking photos of the planet’s horizon).

Other female cosmonauts of Russia and the USSR who left their mark on history:

• Svetlana Evgenievna Savitskaya. In August 1984, she made her first flight on the Soyuz T-7 spacecraft, and in 1984 she became the world's first woman to go into outer space.
• Elena Vladimirovna Kondakova. The first flight took place in early October 1994 on the Soyuz TM-20 spacecraft. This is the world's first female astronaut who has been in space for a long time - 179 days.
• Serova Elena Olegovna. She made her first flight on September 26, 2014 on the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft as a flight engineer.

As you can see, there are not as many representatives of the fairer sex as there are men. But all training, tasks, loads were carried out on an equal basis with colleagues. Perseverance, perseverance, willpower, the ability to set a goal and achieve it - these are the qualities that Russian cosmonauts fully possess. The list of these qualities is replenished with each test passed for them. Despite the difficulties, they managed to conquer space and leave their mark on human history.

Since time immemorial, humanity has strived to fly. This was probably their most desired dream. With the emergence of modern civilization, people wanted not just to fly, but to reach the enchanting darkness of outer space. And finally we were able to realize humanity’s desire to go into outer space!

The first cosmonaut Soviet Union was what he entered forever world history. Preparations for the flight of the world's first man lasted a little over a year and, on April 12, 1961, this historical moment took place. We met the pilot on Earth, as befits one to meet the heroes of the fatherland. Gagarin was later awarded many ranks and awards. The flight into space was soon repeated by an astronaut from the United States. After this, the struggle began to launch the first female astronaut into space.

An event of unprecedented scale was the flight of the first girl of the Soviet cosmonaut. Her journey to the stars began with the fact that at the age of 25 she was enrolled in the ranks of astronauts and, along with other girls, was preparing to fly into orbit. During the training, the project leaders noticed Valentina Tereshkova’s activity and hard work, as a result of which she was appointed senior in the women’s group. After just 1 year of preparation, she set off on a space journey that will remain forever in the history books - the first flight into outer space by a woman.

The Soviet Union did not just launch the first cosmonaut into orbit, but opened a new milestone in the evolution of human technology and the level of development of humanity as a whole. were the first in everything related to astronautics. Our state had the most the best technologies in the field of astronautics. We were the first not only in launching astronauts. The state continued to maintain world leadership in the field of launching manned flights and operating orbital stations.

We must pay tribute to the heroes of the Soviet Union - the cosmonauts for their courage and dedication to their dream. They marked the beginning new era humanity - cosmic. But we should not forget about those outstanding ones who invested not only work and time into this business, but also a part of their soul. The achievements of Russian cosmonautics are worthy of being written about in textbooks.

Boris Valentinovich Volynov (b. 1934) - Soviet pilot-cosmonaut, twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

early years

Boris Volynov was born in Irkutsk on 12/18/1934. However, soon his mother was transferred to another place of work - to the city of Prokopyevsk, Kemerovo region, and the whole family moved there. Until 1952, the boy studied in a regular high school, and already in his youth he became obsessed with the idea of ​​becoming a pilot.

No sooner said than done: after school, Volynov went to Pavlodar, to the local military aviation school. Then he continued his education at the Stalingrad (now Volgograd) military aviation school. After training, he served as a pilot in Yaroslavl, later becoming a senior pilot.

Pavel Ivanovich Belyaev (1925 - 1970) - Soviet cosmonaut number 10, Hero of the USSR.

Pavel Belyaev is also known as an athlete and participant in the 1945 Soviet-Japanese War.

early years

Pavel Belyaev was born in the village of Chelishchevo, which in our time belongs to Vologda region 06/26/1925 He studied at school in the city of Kamensk-Uralsky, after which he went to work as a turner at a factory. However, a year later he decided to devote himself to military affairs, as a result of which he entered the Yeisk Military Aviation School. So he became a pilot.

The Great Patriotic War had ended by that time (1945), but Far East military operations were still underway against Japan, and the young pilot went there.

Vladimir Dzhanibekov (Krysin) (b. 05/13/1942) is a very interesting representative of Russian cosmonautics.

This is a man who has achieved several records in space flights. Firstly, he made a record number of flights in the USSR - five. Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev flew as many as six times, but this was after the collapse of the USSR.

Secondly, in all five of his flights he was the commander. This record has not yet been surpassed by any cosmonaut in the world, and was repeated only by James Weatherby, and even then only in his sixth flight, since he was not the commander in the first. Thus, Vladimir Dzhanibekov is the most experienced Soviet cosmonaut.

Valery Kubasov (1935 - 2014) - famous Soviet cosmonaut. He is known as a space flight engineer, and also as a participant in the famous Soyuz-Apollo program, during which the docking was carried out space stations two "superpowers".

Biography

Valery Kubasov was born in the city of Vyazniki, in the Vladimir region. He also attended school there. Since childhood, he dreamed of building airplanes, so after school he went to the Moscow Aviation Institute. Like many cosmonauts, Kubasov was an aviator in the early stages of his life.

Svetlana Savitskaya - test pilot, cosmonaut, Hero of the USSR (twice).

Probably everyone in the world knows who Valentina Tereshkova is. However, even after her, women continued to conquer space. Just next, after Tereshkova and the second female cosmonaut, was Svetlana Evgenievna Savitskaya.

She was a brilliant pilot, participated in two space expeditions, was the first woman to go into outer space and carried out work there, and became the only woman twice awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union award. But first things first.

Viktor Gorbatko pilot cosmonaut of the USSR, major general of aviation.

Quite recently, on May 17, 2017, pilot cosmonaut Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko, famous not only in Russia but also abroad, passed away.

This man participated in three space expeditions during his life, and was one of the first chess players to play games between space and Earth. He is the 21st Soviet pilot-cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

In addition to a huge number of Soviet awards, he received awards from five countries, and for the last 16 years of his life he was the president of the Russian Philatelists Union.

Komarov Vladimir Mikhailovich (1927 - 1967) cosmonaut, twice Hero of the USSR, test pilot

Childhood and years of education

Vladimir Mikhailovich was born on March 16, 1927. He grew up in a poor family of janitors. From an early age I watched airplanes flying in the sky and flew kites from the roof of my house. Hometown - Moscow.

From the age of 7 he has been studying at school 235, which is currently numbered 2107. Having completed a seven-year course there general education in 1943, at the height of the Great Patriotic War, makes the fateful decision to become a pilot.

He made two space flights and stayed in space for 28 days and just over 17 hours.

short biography

Vladislav Nikolaevich Volkov was born on November 23, 1935 in Moscow into a family whose members were all professional aviation professionals. His father was a leading design engineer at a major aviation enterprise, and his mother worked in the design bureau there.

It is natural that Vladislav dreamed of aviation since childhood. Having graduated from Moscow school number 212 in 1953, he simultaneously entered the famous MAI - the forge of Soviet aviation engineers and the flying club.

Classes both at the institute and at the flying club were very successful.

Popovich Pavel Romanovich - Soviet pilot-cosmonaut number 4 from the first “Gagarin” detachment, a legend of Russian cosmonautics. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

short biography

The biography of cosmonaut Popovich is not much different from the biography of his peers. Pavel Popovich was born in October 1929 in the village of Uzin, Kyiv region in Ukraine. His parents were simple people.

Father Roman Porfirievich Popovich comes from a peasant family; all his life he worked as a fireman at a local sugar factory. Mother Feodosia Kasyanovna was born into a wealthy family, but wealthy relatives abandoned her after her marriage, and it was quite difficult for the large Popovich family.

From early childhood, Pavel learned what hard work was - he had to work as a shepherd, be a nanny in someone else's family. The difficult years of the German occupation left their mark on Pavel's appearance - at the age of 13 he became gray-haired. But, despite all the hardships of his post-war childhood, the boy grew up very smart, inquisitive and was an excellent student.

Half a century ago something happened that was hard to believe - a man flew into space. Astronauts are heroes of a bygone generation, but their names are still remembered today. Few people know, but space was far from peaceful for humans; it was given in blood. Dead astronauts, hundreds of test officers and soldiers who died in explosions and fires during rocket testing. Needless to say about the thousands of nameless military personnel who died while performing routine work - crashed, burned alive, poisoned with heptyl. And, despite this, unfortunately, not everyone was satisfied. Flight into space is an extremely dangerous and complex job: the people who perform it will be discussed in this article...

Komarov Vladimir Mikhailovich

Pilot-cosmonaut, engineer-colonel, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. He flew on Voskhod-1 and Soyuz-1 more than once. He was the commander of the first three-man crew in history. Komarov died on April 24, 1967, when, at the end of the flight program, during descent to Earth, the parachute of the descent vehicle did not open, as a result of which the structure with the officer on board crashed into the ground at full speed.

Dobrovolsky Georgy Timofeevich

Soviet cosmonaut, Air Force lieutenant colonel, Hero of the Soviet Union. Died on June 30, 1971 in the stratosphere over Kazakhstan. The cause of death is considered to be depressurization of the Soyuz-11 lander, probably due to valve failure. He had a huge number of prestigious awards, including the Order of Lenin.

Patsaev Viktor Ivanovich

Pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR, Hero of the Soviet Union, the world's first astronomer who was lucky enough to work outside the earth's atmosphere. Patsayev was part of the same crew as Dobrovolsky; he died with him on June 30, 1971 due to a leak in the oxygen valve of the Soyuz-11.

Scobie Francis Richard

NASA astronaut, made two space flights on the Challenger shuttle. He was among those killed in space as a result of the STS-51L accident along with his crew. The launch vehicle with the shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch, with 7 people on board. The cause of the disaster is considered to be burnout of the solid fuel accelerator wall. Francis Scobee was posthumously inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Resnick Judith Arlen

The American female astronaut spent about 150 hours in space, was part of the crew of the same ill-fated Challenger shuttle and died during its launch on January 28, 1986 in Florida. At one time she was the second woman to fly into space.

Anderson Michael Phillip

American aerospace engineer computer technology, US pilot-astronaut, Air Force lieutenant colonel. During his life he flew more than 3,000 hours on various jet aircraft. Died while returning from space aboard the Columbia STS-107 spacecraft on February 1, 2003. The disaster occurred at an altitude of 63 kilometers above Texas. Anderson and six of his colleagues, after 15 days in orbit, burned to death just 16 minutes before landing.

Ramon Ilan

Israeli Air Force pilot, Israel's first astronaut. Tragically died on February 1, 2003 during the destruction of the same shuttle Columbia STS-107, which crashed in the dense layers of the earth’s atmosphere.

Grissom Virgil Ivan

The world's first commander of a two-seater spacecraft. Unlike previous participants in the rating, this astronaut died on Earth, still preparatory stage flight, a month before the scheduled launch of Apollo 1. On January 27, 1967, a fire in an atmosphere of pure oxygen occurred at the Kennedy Space Center during training, where Virgil Griss and two of his colleagues died.

Bondarenko Valentin Vasilievich

Died under very similar circumstances on March 23, 1961. He was on the list of the first 20 astronauts who were selected for the first space flight in history. During tests of cold and loneliness in a pressure chamber, his training woolen suit caught fire as a result of an accident; the man died from the burns he received eight hours later.

Adams Michael James

American test pilot, US Air Force astronaut. He was among those killed in space during his seventh suborbital flight on the X-15 in 1967. For unknown reasons, the aircraft Adams was on board was completely destroyed more than 50 miles above the surface of the earth. The causes of the accident still remain unknown; all telemetry information was lost along with the remains of the rocket plane.

The Magnificent Twenty How the fates of the first Soviet cosmonauts turned out

Almost 55 years ago, on March 7, 1960, the first cosmonaut squad was formed, which included 12 people. Then - at the end of March, in April and in June - 8 more people were included in it. This magnificent twenty was formed from jet pilots from combat units of the Air Force, Air Defense and Navy.

Before the start

It was clear even before the launch of the first satellite that, given a certain state of rocket technology, a person would be sent into space. The solution to this problem began in earnest in 1958, when a pilot project was initiated to create a ship for human flight. At the same time, work began at the Institute of Aviation Medicine to select cosmonauts, and a little later, to prepare them for the first space flight.

The selection began in the spring of 1959 with a study of the medical books of military pilots. Applicants were not only subject to the most stringent health requirements, but they also had to comply with a certain “format.” Not older than 35 years. Not taller than 175 cm and not heavier than 75 kg.

After reviewing the medical records of 3,461 people, 347 people were selected for the next stage - interviews. At the interview, in accordance with the requirements of increased secrecy, they asked: “Do you want to fly on new technology?” And at the same time they looked so meaningfully that the subject understood everything. The applicant was forbidden to disclose even the fact of participation in the interview.

The vast majority agreed. But after a medical check in the usual garrison hospital, 206 people remained “in the saddle.” Then a simple test followed - for several months the subjects waited for a call to next stage checks. And 52 people reconsidered their intentions. Thus, the number of candidates was reduced to 154 people.

Finally, a state commission was approved, which included the largest experts in the field of medicine, including three academicians. The selection was carried out by a team in which all medical professions were represented, including dentists.

This time, the candidates were not only tested, but also subjected to rigorous tests in a centrifuge with a long-term overload of up to 12 g. In a pressure chamber, where they not only pumped out air to a “height” of 5 and 10 km, but also required the future cosmonaut to perform certain work. They shook it on a vibration stand, rotated it in a wheel, and tested the vegetative system on a parallel swing. And much, much more that only a person with phenomenal health can withstand. So, for example, with a load of 10g, their pulse did not exceed 120 beats/min.

But most of those rejected were during psychological tests of astronaut candidates. Because they had to be perfect people, without the slightest flaws. Here many parameters were assessed: resistance to stress, reaction speed, memory, ability to learn and self-learn, type of higher education. nervous activity, concentration of attention, “interference immunity”, ability to endure difficulties, deprivations and restrictions, self-criticism, reliability of actions in critical situations, fearlessness, team relationships, sense of humor...

Well, and, of course, a high moral and ideological level and universal human maturity. It was impossible in the Soviet Union without ideology, expressed in love for the native CPSU.

In February 1960, 29 out of 154 people passed the entire complex of grueling checks.

9 of them were subsequently eliminated without explanation. It can be assumed that the special department spotted some wormholes in their biographies.

As a result, 20 supermen were accepted into the first cosmonaut corps:

1. Ivan Anikeev (1933 – 1992)

2. Pavel Belyaev (1925 – 1970)

3. Valentin Bondarenko (1937 – 1961)

4. Valery Bykovsky (1934)

5. Valentin Varlamov (1934 – 1980)

6. Boris Volynov (1934)

7. Yuri Gagarin (1934 – 1968)

8. Victor Gorbatko (1934)

9. Dmitry Zaikin (1932 – 2013)

10. Anatoly Kartashov (1932 – 2005)

11. Vladimir Komarov (1927 – 1967)

12. Alexey Leonov (1934)

13. Grigory Nelyubov (1934 – 1966)

14. Andriyan Nikolaev (1929 – 2004)

15. Pavel Popovich (1930 – 2009)

16. Mars Rafikov (1933 – 2000)

17. German Titov (1935 – 2000)

18. Valentin Filatiev (1930 – 1990)

19. Evgeny Khrunov (1933 – 2000)

20. Georgy Shonin (1935 – 1997)

During the flight

The cosmonaut corps began to lose people even before the first flight into space, which was made on April 12, 1961 by Yuri Gagarin.

On March 23, Valentin Bondarenko died from a fire in a pressure chamber filled with oxygen. A piece of cotton wool soaked in alcohol caught fire on a hot coil in a fatal manner. Which, undoubtedly, is an unforgivable miscalculation of the equipment developers and specialists who conducted the experiment.

The remaining cases of elimination are not so tragic, but they also demonstrate how difficult the path chosen by the first Soviet cosmonauts was.

In March 1961, during training, Valentin Varlamov injured his cervical vertebrae. And he was expelled from the squad. At the same time, he was transferred to work as an instructor in Star City. His life ended tragically in 1980 - during the renovation of his apartment - he fell and hit his temple on the bed.

The second to leave the detachment a week before Gagarin’s flight was Anatoly Kartashov. After training in a centrifuge, he developed bruises, which was sufficient for culling.

After 8 years, Dmitry Zaikin, who was diagnosed with a stomach ulcer, was written off.

In addition to expulsions for health reasons, there were also disciplinary ones. Since life in the detachment was not much different from being kept in a comfortable prison. In 1962, Mars Rafikov was expelled from the cosmonauts for “AWOL.” A year later, Ivan Anikeev, Grigory Nelyubov and Valentin Filatyev, being drunk, had a fair amount of conflict with a military patrol in Kaliningrad near Moscow (now Korolev).

The remaining 12 people flew into space. Moreover, some of them were enough not only for the first space program “Vostok”, but also for two more - “Voskhod” and “Soyuz”, which stretched over time for many years. The most “cosmic long-liver” from the first detachment was Valery Gorbatko. He made three flights. The third was on the Soyuz-37 spacecraft in 1980. When many of those with whom he started were no longer alive.

Statistics on the number of flights were distributed in this way.

1st flight – 5 people: Gagarin, Titov, Belyaev, Khrunov, Shonin.

2 flights – 5 people: Nikolaev, Popovich, Komarov, Leonov, Volynov.

3 flights – 2 people: Bykovsky, Gorbatko.

The second flight of Vladimir Komarov on April 24, 1967 on Soyuz 1 ended tragically. During landing, the main parachute of the descent module did not work, and the ship crashed at the moment of landing.

But the loss could have been much greater. Because the probability that Gagarin’s flight would end safely did not exceed 50%. As evidenced, for example, by the statistics of dog flights into space, which was kept silent in the USSR. Only half survived. But, despite this, Gagarin was launched. In a hurry. Because they were afraid that the Americans would get ahead of the Soviet Union.

One orbit around the Earth was the most severe test for Gagarin. Having easily survived the starting overloads and the period of weightlessness, he was on the verge of death when the trajectory decreased. Upon re-entry, the ship's thermal insulation burned unevenly. Which led to a strong and uneven rotation of the ship. Enormous overloads arose. After Gagarin ejected at an altitude of 20 kilometers, where the temperature was minus 60, the valve of the gearbox that supplied oxygen to the spacesuit from a cylinder froze. Gagarin began to choke. Lost consciousness. Fortunately, after some time the gearbox started working, and this saved the first cosmonaut from death.

Before the next launches, the necessary adjustments were made to the design of the spacesuit. And with subsequent Vostok launches, the risk decreased. But it didn't disappear completely.

What made these people not only endure enormous loads while in the detachment, but also risk their lives in flight?

During the selection process, the motivation of each of them was determined. In the characteristics, naturally, as was customary in those days, something was written about “love for the Motherland” and “the desire to bring the greatest possible benefit to the fatherland.” And, I must say, this was not an entirely empty phrase, although it was formulated in a caricature-clichéd way. Undoubtedly, they were not devoid of patriotic sentiments.

Another motivation came from their professional background. Because military jet pilots, as they now say, could not imagine their existence without adrenaline.

One more circumstance should be added here: the first cosmonauts were national heroes. Well, Gagarin, in general, was an idol of international level.

There was also a material component. Gagarin received 15 thousand rubles for his flight. With this money then it was possible to buy three of the best Soviet cars - Volgas. After that, they started paying 5-10 thousand per flight, depending on the duration and other circumstances. Plus the high salary on earth - with all sorts of bonuses, rations, “star” and other allowances it came out to about a thousand. That is, 9 times more than an engineer, and three times more than an academician.

Here you should add the keys to an apartment in Star City or in Moscow in the VDNKh area. And also “Volga” for space flight. And the star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, which offers many different benefits.

The situation is completely different now, when astronautics has ceased to be a priority. Today, an astronaut receives $800 a day for a flight. After returning from a three-month flight, he cannot buy an apartment. But there can be no more than three such flights during its active period. On earth, the salary, depending on length of service and other factors, ranges from 60 thousand to 100 thousand rubles. It’s completely ridiculous to talk about an apartment here. If we compare this with the average salary in the government apparatus, which is 241 thousand rubles, then this is completely humiliating.

After landing

In the 60s, three more people included in the first cosmonaut corps passed away. One very loudly - Yuri Gagarin, in 1968. It was a national tragedy, since he was not just the pride of the country, but everyone's favorite.

Two - quiet. In 1966 - Grigory Nelyubov. After being discharged from the unit, he continued to serve in the Air Force. Being drunk, he got hit by a train. In 1970, Pavel Belyaev left. He died during surgery for peritonitis.

All of them were under forty years old.

In 1980, before reaching fifty, Valentin Varlamov died.

In 1992, Ivan Anikeev, expelled from the detachment, died of cancer at the age of 59. After the detachment, he served in the Air Force. At the same age, his “fellow” in expulsion, Valentin Filatyev, died of heart failure in 1990.

After leaving the cosmonaut corps due to reaching the age limit or for other reasons, the fates of the first cosmonauts turned out differently. Georgy Shonin, who lived to be 61, was quite prosperous. In Ukraine, he commanded the air army of the Odessa district, then became deputy commander of the district. And three last year was the head of the Research Institute of Aviation and Space Technology of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

German Titov became a Doctor of Military Sciences. Worked in prominent positions in the USSR Ministry of Defense, having direct relation to astronautics. He was president of the Russian Cosmonautics Federation. He sat in the State Duma. He died in 2000 from a heart attack at the age of 65.

Andriyan Nikolaev was quite successful in Soviet times, receiving the State Prize and sitting on the Supreme Council of the USSR. But in the Russian Federation he held more modest positions - he was on the staff of the State Duma Mandates Commission. Died at the age of 74 from a heart attack.

Pavel Popovich, being a major general in the reserve, until 2009 worked in Moscow as chairman of the board of directors of the State Institute of Land Cadastral Surveys. Died at the age of 78 from a stroke.

Evgeny Khrunov worked as a senior researcher at the Research Institute of Aviation and Space Technology of the USSR Ministry of Defense, which was headed by Shonin. Then he became director of the Moscow representative office of the inter-farm association "Commonwealth". Further - the president of the scientific and production association "K.E.M.T." Died at the age of 66.

As we see, strong health in youth is not the key to longevity. Especially if the body is subjected to heavy stress, both physical and mental.

Here is how cosmonaut Gennady Strekalov commented on this situation 10 years ago:

“Over the past 5 years, we have buried 12 astronauts, some did not even live to be 60 years old, and yet we were selected with a five-fold health reserve. Stress is understandable, but what about the effects of radiation and weightlessness? This means that space medicine is hiding something from us. We are now raising the question of specific occupational diseases of astronauts. Doctors run around the astronaut only during preparation for the flight and a month of post-flight rehabilitation, after which he is forgotten. But even with scientific point“It’s very interesting to trace the consequences of space flights on living people, to monitor their health, and to register all this.”

Of the 20 space pioneers, four are now alive.

Valery Bykovsky worked as director of the House of Soviet Culture and Science in Berlin until 1991. Now he lives quietly in retirement.

After leaving the detachment, Boris Volynov worked for a long time at the Cosmonaut Training Center. Now retired.

Viktor Gorbatko was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In the 90s he became president of the Russian Philatelists Union.

Alexey Leonov was the most successful in civilian life. He is a media person, always heard and visible. For a long time he worked as deputy director of the Cosmonaut Training Center. He exhibited paintings with space subjects. He gave interviews and acted as an expert. In modern Russia, he was the director of the space program of the Chatek company. Now he is an adviser to the chairman of the board of directors of Alfa Bank.

In conclusion, one more thing needs to be said. Going into their debut, these young, handsome and brave guys could not imagine that there was another motivation for their choice. And it worked to its fullest. All of them forever inscribed their names in the history of the country.

In the photo: Moscow. Cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Pavel Popovich while studying at the Zhukovsky Academy, 1965.

1. The very first astronaut in the history of mankind Yuri Gagarin set off to conquer space on April 12, 1961 on the Vostok-1 spacecraft. His flight lasted 108 minutes. Gagarin was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. In addition, he was awarded a Volga with the numbers 12-04 YUAG - this is the date of the completed flight and the initials of the first cosmonaut.

2. The first woman astronaut Valentina Tereshkova flew into space on June 16, 1963 on the Vostok-6 spacecraft. In addition, Tereshkova is the only woman who made a solo flight; all the others flew only as part of crews.

3.Alexey Leonov- the first person to walk into outer space on March 18, 1965. The duration of the first exit was 23 minutes, of which the astronaut spent 12 minutes outside the spacecraft. While in outer space, his suit swelled and prevented him from returning back to the ship. The cosmonaut managed to enter only after Leonov relieved excess pressure from the spacesuit, and he climbed into the spacecraft head first, and not with his feet, as was required by the instructions.

4. An American astronaut was the first to set foot on the lunar surface. Neil Armstrong July 21, 1969 at 2:56 GMT. 15 minutes later he was joined by Edwin Aldrin. In total, the astronauts spent two and a half hours on the Moon.

5. The world record for the number of spacewalks belongs to the Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyov. He made 16 trips with a total duration of more than 78 hours. Solovyov's total flight time in space was 651 days.

6. The youngest astronaut is German Titov, at the time of the flight he was 25 years old. In addition, Titov is also the second Soviet astronaut in space and the first person to complete a long-term (more than a day) space flight. The cosmonaut made a flight lasting 1 day and 1 hour from August 6 to 7, 1961.

7. The oldest astronaut to fly in space is considered to be an American. John Glenn. He was 77 years old when he flew on Discovery's STS-95 mission in October 1998. In addition, Glenn set a kind of unique record - the gap between space flights was 36 years (he was in space for the first time in 1962).

8. American astronauts stayed on the Moon the longest Eugene Cernan And Harrison Schmit as part of the Apollo 17 crew in 1972. In total, the astronauts were on the surface of the earth's satellite for 75 hours. During this time, they made three exits to the lunar surface with a total duration of 22 hours. They were the last to walk on the Moon, and, according to some sources, left a small disc on the Moon with the inscription “Here man completed the first stage of exploration of the Moon, December 1972.”

9. An American multimillionaire became the first space tourist Dennis Tito, which went into space on April 28, 2001. At the same time, the de facto first tourist is considered to be a Japanese journalist Toyohiro Akiyama, which was paid for by the Tokyo Television Company to fly in December 1990. In general, a person whose flight was paid for by any organization cannot be considered a space tourist.

10. The first British astronaut was a woman - Helena Charman(Helen Sharman), who took off on May 18, 1991 as part of the Soyuz TM-12 crew. She is considered the only astronaut to fly into space as a official representative Great Britain, all the rest had citizenship of another country in addition to British. Interestingly, before becoming an astronaut, Charmaine worked as a chemical technologist at a confectionery factory and responded to an appeal for a competitive selection of space flight participants in 1989. Out of 13,000 participants, she was chosen, after which she began training in Star City near Moscow.