Aleksandr Serebrov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aleksandr Serebrov
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| Born | 15 February 1944 |
| Died | 12 November 2013 (aged 69) Moscow, Russia
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| Nationality | Soviet / Russian |
| Occupation | Flight engineer |
| Space career | |
| Roscosmos cosmonaut | |
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Time in space
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372d 22h 52m |
| Selection | 1928 Intercosmos Group |
| Missions | Soyuz T-7/Soyuz T-5, Soyuz T-8, Soyuz TM-8, Soyuz TM-17 |
Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Serebrov (born February 15, 1944 – died November 12, 2013) was a famous Soviet and Russian cosmonaut. He was known for spending a lot of time in space. He also held a record for the most spacewalks.
Serebrov was one of the few cosmonauts who flew for both the Soviet Union and the country that followed it, Russia. He is also famous for playing the video game Tetris on a Game Boy while in space! This was the first time a video game was ever played in space.
Contents
A Life in Space
Becoming a Cosmonaut
Aleksandr Serebrov was born in Moscow, which was then part of the USSR. He loved science and studied at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. He finished his studies in 1967.
Later, in 1978, he was chosen to become a cosmonaut. This meant he would train to travel to space. He worked hard and officially retired from his space career in 1995.
Space Missions and Records
Aleksandr Serebrov flew on four different space missions. These missions were Soyuz T-7, Soyuz T-8, Soyuz TM-8, and Soyuz TM-17. He spent a total of 371.95 days in space. That's more than a whole year!
He was also a spacewalking champion. Serebrov completed 10 spacewalks during his career. A spacewalk is when an astronaut leaves their spacecraft to work outside in space. He held the record for the most spacewalks for a while. Later, another cosmonaut, Anatoly Solovyev, broke his record.
Helping Design Space Stations
Serebrov didn't just fly in space; he also helped design important spacecraft. He worked on the plans for the Salyut 6 and Salyut 7 space stations. He also helped with the famous Mir space station. These were like homes and labs for astronauts orbiting Earth.
He even helped design a special one-person vehicle. People called it a "space motorcycle." Its real name was Icarus. This vehicle was meant to help rescue space crews or fix satellites. Serebrov was the first to test it in space in 1990. The Icarus stayed on the Mir station for several years. However, it was never used for a real rescue mission.
Awards and Honors
Aleksandr Serebrov received many important awards for his work. These awards showed how much he contributed to space exploration.
- Hero of the Soviet Union: This was the highest honor in the Soviet Union. It was given for heroic acts.
- Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR: This title recognized him as a top space pilot.
- Two Orders of Lenin: These were very high civilian awards.
- Order of Friendship of Peoples
- Order of the October Revolution
- Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (from the Russian Federation)
- Officer of the Legion of Honour (from France)
An Asteroid Named After Him
In 2009, an asteroid was discovered by Timur Valer'evich Kryachko. This asteroid was later named 365375 Serebrov in honor of Aleksandr Serebrov. This is a special way to remember his amazing contributions to space. The official naming was announced in 2019.
Later Life and Legacy
Aleksandr Serebrov passed away suddenly in Moscow on November 12, 2013. He was 69 years old. He was buried in Ostankinsky cemetery. His legacy lives on through his pioneering spacewalks, his work on space stations, and his unique place in video game history.
