Valeri Tokarev facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valeri Ivanovich Tokarev
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Tokarev in a NASA uniform
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| Born | 29 October 1952 Kapustin Yar, Astrakhan Oblast, Soviet Union
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| Status | Retired |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Occupation | Pilot |
| Awards | Hero of the Russian Federation |
| Space career | |
| Roscosmos cosmonaut | |
| Rank | Air force colonel |
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Time in space
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199d 15h 06m |
| Selection | 1989 Cosmonaut Group |
| Missions | STS-96, Soyuz TMA-7 (Expedition 12) |
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Mission insignia
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Valeri Ivanovich Tokarev was born on October 29, 1952. He is a retired Russian Air Force colonel and a test cosmonaut. A cosmonaut is someone trained to travel in space. Valeri Tokarev worked at the Yuri A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
He flew into space two times. He also performed two spacewalks during his career. Valeri Tokarev retired from being a cosmonaut in June 2008. After retiring, he became involved in local government. In 2013, he was elected to lead Zvyozdny Gorodok (Star City).
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About Valeri Tokarev
Valeri Tokarev was born in Kapustin Yar, which was part of the Soviet Union. He is married to Irina Tokareva. They have two children, a daughter named Olya and a son named Ivan. The family lives in Star City, near Moscow.
Valeri enjoys nature, cars, airplanes, and sports. His mother, Lidiya, lives in Rostov. His father, Ivan Pavlovich, passed away in 1972.
His Education
Valeri Tokarev studied at several important schools. In 1973, he finished the Stavropol Higher Military Aviation School. This school trained pilots and navigators.
Later, in 1982, he graduated with honors from the Test Pilot Training Center. This is where pilots learn to test new aircraft. He also studied at the Yu. A. Gagarin Military Air Academy. In 1997, he earned a master's degree in state administration. This degree helped him learn how to manage government affairs.
His Experience as a Pilot
Valeri Tokarev is a highly skilled pilot. He is a First Class Air Force Pilot and a First Class Test Pilot. He has flown 44 different types of airplanes and helicopters. In total, he has spent over 3,000 hours flying.
He helped test many advanced aircraft. These included jets that could take off and land vertically or in short distances. He also tested bomber and missile navy planes.
Cosmonaut Career
In 1987, Valeri Tokarev was chosen to become a cosmonaut. He was part of a group selected to test and fly the Buran spacecraft. The Buran was a Soviet space shuttle.
After the Buran program ended in 1997, Tokarev became a test cosmonaut. He worked at the Yuri A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. This is where cosmonauts train for space missions.
STS-96 Mission
Valeri Tokarev's first space mission was STS-96. He flew on the Space Shuttle Discovery on May 27, 1999. This was a very important mission. It was the first time a space shuttle docked with the International Space Station (ISS).
Tokarev was a mission specialist on this flight. The crew delivered four tons of supplies to the ISS. These supplies were needed for the first crew to live on the station. During the mission, Valeri helped move items and check equipment. He worked with other astronauts to prepare the station. He also helped install insulation to make the Zarya module quieter.
The mission lasted 10 days. The Discovery landed safely on June 6, 1999. The shuttle traveled 4 million miles during this flight.
Expedition 12 Mission
Valeri Tokarev returned to space as a flight engineer for Expedition 12. He arrived at the ISS on October 3, 2005. He traveled there aboard the Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft. The Soyuz lifted off from the Baikonour cosmodrome on October 1.
During Expedition 12, Valeri performed many science experiments. He worked on over 30 experiments. These included studies in biology, microbiology, genetics, and physics. One experiment, called Plants, helped grow peas and greens on the station. He also did medical research. This research looked at how space affects humans and blood cells. His physics studies helped understand how spacecraft affect Earth's upper atmosphere.
A cargo ship, Progress M-55, docked with the ISS during this time. It brought more scientific equipment and supplies. Valeri Tokarev left the ISS on April 6, 2006. He returned to Earth on April 8, 2006, inside the Soyuz TMA-7 capsule. He spent 189 days in space on this mission.
Spacewalks
Valeri Tokarev has performed two spacewalks. A spacewalk is when an astronaut leaves the spacecraft to work in space. His spacewalks totaled 11 hours and 5 minutes.
His first spacewalk was on November 7, 2005. He worked with NASA astronaut William McArthur. They installed a new camera on the station. They also removed and sent away a sensor called the Floating Potential Probe. This probe was designed to measure the station's electrical charge. They also replaced a power control module. This spacewalk lasted 5 hours and 22 minutes.
His second spacewalk took place on February 3, 2006. Again, he worked with William McArthur. They moved a part for a Russian crane called Strela. They also collected experiments from outside the station. They took pictures of the station's exterior. During this spacewalk, they also released an old Russian spacesuit. This suit, called SuitSat-1, had a radio inside. It broadcast greetings to students around the world. The spacewalk lasted 5 hours and 43 minutes.
Awards and Honors
Valeri Tokarev has received many awards for his service. In 2000, he was given the "Hero of the Russian Federation" medal. This is a very high honor. In 1999, he was named "Pilot Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation."
He also received the Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Russian Federation. He has several Russian Federation Medals. NASA also awarded him the Space Flight Medal in 1999. He is an Honorary Citizen of Rostov, a city in Russia.
See also
In Spanish: Valeri Tokarev para niños
- List of Heroes of the Russian Federation
