Boris Volynov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Boris Volynov
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|---|---|
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| Born |
Boris Valentinovich Volynov
18 December 1934 |
| Status | Retired |
| Nationality | Soviet |
| Occupation | Electrical Engineer |
| Space career | |
| Cosmonaut | |
| Rank | Colonel, Soviet Air Force |
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Time in space
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52d 07h 17m |
| Selection | Air Force Group 1 |
| Missions | Soyuz 5, Soyuz 21 |
Boris Valentinovich Volynov (born December 18, 1934) is a famous cosmonaut from the Soviet Union. He flew on two exciting space missions as part of the Soyuz programme: Soyuz 5 and Soyuz 21. He is also known as the first Jewish person to travel into space. As of 2025, he is the last living member of the very first group of cosmonauts ever chosen.
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Meet Boris Volynov
Boris Volynov was born in Irkutsk, a city in Siberia. His family later moved, and he finished high school in Prokopyevsk in 1952. The next year, he started his pilot training in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan. By 1955, he had graduated from an aviation school in Novosibirsk.
From 1961 to 1968, he studied engineering at the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy. He earned a special diploma as a pilot-engineer-cosmonaut. Later, in 1980, he completed his PhD at the same academy. After he stopped flying in space in 1982, he worked for eight years as a senior leader at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. He retired in 1990 as a colonel, after serving for 30 years.
His Space Adventures
Training for Voskhod Missions
Boris Volynov was chosen to train as a commander for the Voskhod 1 mission in 1964. However, just three days before the launch, he and his crewmates were replaced. The head of the space program, Sergey Korolyov, was very upset about this decision.
Volynov then spent a year training for the Voskhod 3 mission. He trained with different partners, but this mission was also cancelled. This happened after Sergey Korolyov passed away in 1966. The new leader decided to focus on the Soyuz spacecraft instead. Because of this, Volynov was moved to the Soyuz team.
Soyuz 5: A Dangerous Return
The Soyuz 5 mission launched on January 15, 1969. Volynov was the commander, along with Aleksei Yeliseyev and Yevgeny Khrunov. The next day, Yeliseyev and Khrunov transferred to another spacecraft, Soyuz 4, after the two ships docked in space. Soyuz 4 then undocked, and Volynov prepared to return to Earth alone.
His return was very dangerous! Part of the Soyuz 5 spacecraft, called the equipment module, did not separate properly. This blocked the heat shield needed for re-entry. Because of the extra weight, the spacecraft started to tumble. Luckily, as it entered Earth's atmosphere, the heat and stress caused the module to break away. The spacecraft then managed to turn so its heat shield faced forward.
However, the parachutes only opened partly, and the rockets meant to soften the landing failed. This caused a very hard landing that almost destroyed the module. Volynov even broke some of his teeth!
Soyuz 21: Another Tricky Mission
On July 6, 1976, Volynov and Flight Engineer Vitaliy Zholobov launched on Soyuz 21. Their goal was to spend about two months on the space station Salyut 5. However, Zholobov became unwell, so they had to return to Earth early.
When Volynov tried to undock their Soyuz spacecraft from Salyut 5, the latch got stuck. As he fired the jets, the docking mechanism jammed, leaving the Soyuz partly attached to the space station. This problem lasted for a whole orbit around Earth (about 90 minutes). Finally, after receiving emergency instructions, the latches released.
Because they returned early, their landing was outside the usual area. They faced strong winds, and the landing rockets fired unevenly. They had a hard landing around midnight in Kazakhstan. Zholobov's illness was thought to be from nitric acid fumes from the space station. Other reports suggested they didn't exercise enough and lacked sleep.
Awards and Recognition
Boris Volynov has received many important awards for his bravery and service:
- He was named Hero of the Soviet Union twice (in 1969 and 1976).
- He earned the title Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR.
- He received two Orders of Lenin.
- He was given the Order of the Red Star.
- He is an Honorary Citizen of Prokopyevsk.
Family Life
Boris Volynov's mother, Yevgenia Volynova, was a pediatrician, a doctor who treats children. She was also a surgeon during World War II. His wife, Tamara Savinova, has a PhD in metallurgy and is a member of the New York Academy of Sciences. They have two children, a son named Andrei and a daughter named Tatyana.
See also
In Spanish: Borís Volynov para niños
