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Aleksei Aleksandrovich Gubarev
Cosmonaut Aleksei Gubarev (cropped).jpg
Gubarev in 1978
Born (1931-03-29)29 March 1931
Gvardeitsi, Samara Oblast, USSR
Died 21 February 2015(2015-02-21) (aged 83)
Moscow, Russia
Nationality Soviet
Occupation Cosmonaut, Pilot
Awards Hero of the Soviet Union (2)
Order of Lenin (2)
Space career
Rank Major General, Soviet Naval Air Force
Time in space
37d 11h 36m
Selection Air Force Group 2
Missions Soyuz 17, Soyuz 28

Aleksei Aleksandrovich Gubarev (Russian: Алексе́й Алекса́ндрович Гу́барев; 29 March 1931 – 21 February 2015) was a Soviet cosmonaut. He was a brave space traveler who flew on two important space missions: Soyuz 17 and Soyuz 28.

A Cosmonaut's Journey

Aleksei Gubarev started his amazing journey by graduating from the Soviet Naval Aviation School in 1952. After that, he served in the Soviet Air Force. He loved learning, so he studied even more at the Gagarin Air Force Academy. This extra training helped him get accepted into the special space program.

Training for Space

Aleksei first trained for the Soviet program that aimed to send people to the Moon. He also prepared for military space flights using the Soyuz spacecraft. Later, he trained for missions to the Salyut space stations.

Important Missions

His first space mission was Soyuz 17. In 1978, he went on his next big mission, Soyuz 28. This was a very special flight because it was the first Interkosmos mission. On this trip, he flew with Vladimír Remek from Czechoslovakia. This showed how countries could work together in space.

A Difficult Moment

In 1971, Aleksei was chosen as a backup commander for the Soyuz 11 mission. Sadly, this mission faced a serious problem. The spacecraft lost its air pressure in space, and the three-person crew died. It was a very sad event in space history.

Life After Space Flight

Aleksei Gubarev stopped being a cosmonaut in 1981. He then took on an important job at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. This is where new cosmonauts learn to go to space. In the 1980s, he also worked at a scientific research institute for the Ministry of Defence.

A Published Author

Aleksei shared his experiences by writing a book. It was called The Attraction of Weightlessness and came out in 1982. He also received the Gagarin Gold Medal twice, which is a very high honor. Many cities, like Kaluga and Prague, made him an honorary citizen.

Aleksei Gubarev passed away on 21 February 2015, at the age of 83.

Awards and Recognition

Aleksei Gubarev received many important awards for his bravery and service.

  • Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (This was one of the highest honors in the Soviet Union, given for great courage.)
  • Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR
  • Two Orders of Lenin
  • Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (from the Russian Federation)
  • Medal "For the Development of Virgin Lands"

He also received awards from other countries:

  • Hero of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
  • Order of Klement Gottwald (from Czechoslovakia)
  • Medal "For Strengthening Military Cooperation" (from Czechoslovakia)
  • Medal of Sino-Soviet Friendship (from China)
  • Medal "Brotherhood in Arms" (from East Germany)
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