Pavel Belyayev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pavel Belyayev
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Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev
26 June 1925 Chelishchevo,Northern Dvina Governorate, Russian SFSR, USSR
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| Died | 10 January 1970 (aged 44) |
| Nationality | Soviet Union |
| Occupation | Fighter pilot, Cosmonaut |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union Order of Lenin Order of the Red Star |
| Space career | |
| Cosmonaut | |
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Time in space
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1d 02h 02m |
| Selection | Air Force Group 1 |
| Missions | Voskhod 2 |
Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev (Russian: Павел Иванович Беляев; 26 June 1925 – 10 January 1970) was a brave Soviet fighter pilot. He was also a very skilled cosmonaut. Pavel Belyayev was the first commander of the cosmonaut team. He led the important Voskhod 2 space mission in 1965. During this mission, the first person ever walked in space.
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Pavel Belyayev's Early Life
Pavel Belyayev was one of six children. His family and friends called him Pasha. He was born on June 26, 1925, in a village called Chelishchevo in Russia. In 1932, his family moved to a nearby village. His father was a doctor's helper. His mother worked on a farm.
Pavel started school when he was seven years old. He really liked physics and geography. As a boy, he enjoyed playing hockey and going hunting. When he was almost 13, his family moved again. He continued his studies at Gorkogo secondary school.
In 1942, Pavel worked in a factory to help with the war effort. He tried to join the air force but was too young. He also tried to join a ski unit but was rejected again. In 1943, just before he turned 18, he was called to serve. He began training to become a naval pilot. He finished his training in 1944.
Becoming an Air Force Pilot
Pavel Belyayev became a military pilot in 1945. He was a junior lieutenant. The war in the west had ended. So, Belyayev was sent to defend Russia's eastern areas. He flew different types of fighter planes. These included Yakovlev, Lavochkin, and MiG jets. He flew them in the last days of the war against Japan in August 1945.
Belyayev stayed in the East for ten years. He was mostly stationed in Siberia. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1947. In 1948, he married Tatyana Prikazchikova. By 1950, he was a senior lieutenant. He flew seven different types of aircraft. People thought he was one of the best pilot commanders. He received a medal for his combat service in 1953. In 1954, he became a captain. Besides hunting, he enjoyed reading, writing poetry, and playing music.
In 1956, Belyayev went to an advanced air force school. He graduated in 1959. He became a military pilot second class and a major.
Joining the Cosmonaut Team
While studying, Pavel Belyayev was interviewed for the space program. The selectors were impressed by his ability to handle strong G-forces. He was chosen to join the cosmonaut training center. He started on March 25, 1960. At 34, he was the oldest person chosen. He was also the highest-ranking candidate. He was the only one who had fought in World War II. Because of his high rank, Belyayev became the first commander of the cosmonaut team.
In August, Belyayev broke his lower leg during parachute training. This accident delayed his training for about a year. It seemed he might not be able to continue. But he worked very hard to recover. After a year, he passed his medical tests. He was able to return to training.
His Space Mission: Voskhod 2
After the first Voskhod mission in 1964, a harder mission was planned for 1965. The main goal was for a cosmonaut to leave the spaceship and "space-walk." Belyayev was chosen as the commander of Voskhod 2. This decision was made just three days before launch. There had been some worries about his performance in a test. But his crewmate, Alexei Leonov, explained that Belyayev had fixed a problem during the test. Leonov, who would do the space walk, trusted Belyayev a lot. He said he preferred Belyayev as his commander.
The Voskhod 2 Flight
Voskhod 2 launched with Belyayev and Leonov on board on March 18, 1965. Belyayev's call sign was Diamond. He was the mission commander.
After Leonov successfully performed the first space walk, Belyayev prepared to return to Earth. The automatic landing system failed. This meant Belyayev had to land the capsule manually. He used a special navigation device to guide the capsule. The space inside was very small. Belyayev had to lie across the seats to use the device. Leonov held him in place. This took extra time. Because of this, the capsule landed about 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles) away from the planned spot.
After landing, Belyayev had to force open the hatch. The special bolts that should have opened it did not work. He then had to pull Leonov out of the capsule. Leonov's legs were stuck under a console. They spent a very cold night inside the capsule. The next morning, a rescue team found them. It took another day to clear a spot for a helicopter to land. The helicopter landed 9 kilometers (5.6 miles) from their site.
After the successful mission, Belyayev and Leonov received the Hero of the Soviet Union medal. They also got money, a car, and time off.
Later, American astronaut David Scott met Belyayev. Scott said Belyayev was a "very positive, thoughtful guy, a real leader." Belyayev told him he was the first cosmonaut to bring his mission back to Earth using only manual control.
Pavel Belyayev died five years after the Voskhod 2 mission. He passed away in 1970 from a stomach problem. He is buried in Moscow.
Pavel Belyayev's Legacy
Pavel Belyayev is remembered as an important figure in space history. A statue of him stands on Cosmonauts Alley in Moscow. He received many awards, including the Hero of the Soviet Union medal. He was also honored by other countries.
His name is on a plaque on the Moon. This plaque is part of the Fallen Astronaut sculpture. It was placed there in 1971 by the crew of Apollo 15.
Books like Fallen Astronauts and Into That Silent Sea tell his story. A crater on the far side of the Moon is named Belyaev after him. A small planet discovered in 1969 is also named 2030 Belyaev.
In 2017, an actor played Pavel Belyayev in the Russian film The Age of Pioneers. This movie shows the Voskhod 2 mission. The film is dedicated to Belyayev.
Honors and Awards
- Hero of the Soviet Union Medal "Gold Star" (1965)
- Title Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR
- Order of Lenin (1965)
- Order of the Red Star (1961)
- Medal for Combat Service (1953)
- Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1945)
- Medal "For the Victory over Japan" (1945)
- Hero of Socialist Labour (Bulgaria, 1965)
- Order of Georgi Dimitrov (Bulgaria, 1965)
- Hero of Labour (Vietnam, 1965)
- Hero of Mongolia
- Order of Sukhbaatar (Mongolia, 1967)
- Order of Karl Marx (East Germany, 1965)
See also
In Spanish: Pável Beliáyev para niños
