Vitaly Sevastyanov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vitaly Ivanovich Sevastyanov
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| Born | 8 July 1935 Krasnouralsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
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| Died | 5 April 2010 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | Soviet |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union (twice) |
| Space career | |
| Cosmonaut | |
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Time in space
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80d 16h 18m |
| Selection | Civilian Specialist Group 3 |
| Missions | Soyuz 9, Soyuz 18 |
Vitaly Ivanovich Sevastyanov (Russian: Вита́лий Ива́нович Севастья́нов; 8 July 1935 – 5 April 2010) was a famous Soviet cosmonaut and a talented engineer. He is best known for his two space missions aboard the Soyuz 9 and Soyuz 18 spacecraft.
Early Life and Training
Vitaly Sevastyanov was born on July 8, 1935. He grew up with a passion for science and engineering. He studied to become an engineer at the Moscow Aviation Institute. After finishing his studies in 1959, he joined a special design team. This team was led by Sergey Korolev, a very important person in Soviet space history.
Vitaly helped design the Vostok spacecraft. This was the first type of spacecraft that carried humans into space. He also taught at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. There, he taught students about the physics of spaceflight. In 1967, he began his own training to become a cosmonaut.
Space Missions
Vitaly Sevastyanov flew on two important space missions. His first mission was Soyuz 9. This mission lasted for 18 days in June 1970. It set a new record for how long people could stay in space.
His second mission was Soyuz 18 in 1975. During this mission, he spent two months aboard the Salyut 4 space station. Living and working on a space station helped scientists learn a lot. They learned about how humans adapt to long periods in space.
Vitaly was also a backup flight engineer for the Soyuz 11 mission in 1971. Sadly, this mission ended in tragedy. The spacecraft lost pressure, and the three cosmonauts on board died.
After Spaceflight
After his space missions, Vitaly Sevastyanov continued to work in the space program. He worked on ground control for the Salyut 6 space station. Later, in the 1980s, he helped design the Buran space shuttle. This was the Soviet Union's own reusable spacecraft.
Vitaly was also interested in other fields. He was the president of the Soviet Chess Federation for many years. He held this role from 1977 to 1986 and again from 1988 to 1989.
He also hosted a popular TV show in the 1980s. The show was called Man, Earth, Universe. It taught people about space exploration. In 1984, Vitaly helped create the Association of Space Explorers. This group brings together people from all over the world who have flown in space.
In 1993, Vitaly Sevastyanov left the space program. He was elected to the State Duma in 1994. He passed away in Moscow on April 5, 2010, at the age of 74.
Awards and Honors
Vitaly Sevastyanov received many awards for his achievements. These awards recognized his bravery and contributions to space exploration.
- Twice Hero of the Soviet Union
- Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR
- Two Orders of Lenin
- Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary since the Birth of Vladimir Il'ich Lenin"
- State Prize of the USSR
- Lenin Komsomol Prize
- Honoured Master of Sport
- Order of the Nile (Egypt)
- Yuri Gagarin Gold Medal (Fédération Aéronautique Internationale)
