Leonid Kizim facts for kids

Model of Salyut-7, docked with two Soyuz spacecraft.

Leonid Denisovich Kizim (born August 5, 1941 – died June 14, 2010) was a famous Soviet cosmonaut. A cosmonaut is like an astronaut, but from the Soviet Union (which is now mostly Russia). He is known for making history in space.

In 1986, Leonid Kizim was the commander of a very special space mission. This mission was the only one ever to visit two different space stations on a single flight! He visited both the newer Mir station and the older Salyut 7 station. By the end of this amazing journey, he became the first person to have spent a whole year in space. In total, he spent 374 days, 17 hours, and 56 minutes orbiting Earth.

Early Life and Training

Leonid Kizim was born in the Donetsk Oblast region of the Soviet Union, which is now part of Ukraine. He grew up with a dream of flying. He became a pilot in the Soviet Air Force. His skills and dedication led him to be chosen as a cosmonaut. He was part of the Air Force Group 3 selection in 1965.

Space Missions

Leonid Kizim flew on three important space missions. Each mission helped the Soviet Union learn more about living and working in space.

Soyuz T-3 Mission

His first mission was Soyuz T-3. This flight helped test new systems on the Salyut 6 space station. It was an important step for future long-duration space travel.

Soyuz T-10 Mission

Next, he commanded the Soyuz T-10 mission. This mission took him to the Salyut 7 space station. During this long stay, he performed several spacewalks. Spacewalks are when astronauts go outside their spacecraft to do work or repairs.

Soyuz T-15 Mission: A Historic Flight

The Soyuz T-15 mission was his most famous flight. As commander, he led his crew to visit two different space stations. This was a huge achievement in space exploration.

• First, they visited the Mir space station, which was brand new.
• Then, they flew to the older Salyut 7 station. This was done to retrieve important equipment.

This mission showed how cosmonauts could move between different space habitats.

Life After Space

After his incredible career as a cosmonaut, Leonid Kizim continued to serve his country. He became a high-ranking officer in the Soviet Air Force, reaching the rank of Colonel General. He worked at the Russian Ministry of Defense's satellite control center, helping to manage satellites orbiting Earth.

In 1995, he took on another important role. He became the head of the Military Engineering Academy of Aeronautics and Astronautics in St. Petersburg. This academy trains future space engineers and pilots. Leonid Kizim passed away on June 14, 2010, in Moscow, Russia. He is remembered as a pioneer who pushed the boundaries of human spaceflight.

See also

In Spanish: Leonid Kizim para niños