Yevgeny Andreyev (colonel) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yevgeny Andreyev
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The Volga balloon gondola with his portrait at right
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| Birth name | Yevgeny Nikolayevich Andreyev |
| Born | 4 September 1926 |
| Died | 9 February 2000 (aged 73) |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union |
Yevgeny Nikolayevich Andreyev (Russian: Евгений Андреев; born September 4, 1926 – died February 9, 2000) was a brave colonel in the Soviet Air Force. He became famous for setting an amazing world record. On November 1, 1962, he made the longest free-fall parachute jump ever recorded at that time. The Guinness Book of Records confirmed his jump was about 24,500 meters (over 15 miles) without his parachute open!
Before Yevgeny Andreyev's jump, another brave person named Joseph Kittinger held a record for a very high parachute jump. However, Kittinger used a small "drogue parachute" to help stabilize his fall. This meant his jump wasn't a true free-fall like Andreyev's. For his incredible achievement, Andreyev was given the highest honor in the Soviet Union, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. His record for the longest free-fall jump stood for 50 years until 2012, when Felix Baumgartner made an even higher jump from 39,000 meters (about 24 miles).
Contents
Early Life and Training
A Brave Start
Yevgeny Andreyev was born on September 4, 1926, in the city of Novosibirsk, which is in Russia. When he was a young boy, from 1937 to 1942, he lived in a children's home in Serov, Sverdlovsk Region. After that, he worked in a factory located in the city of Nizhny Tagil. In 1943, when he was 17 years old, he joined the Soviet Army.
Preparing for Great Heights
Yevgeny Andreyev was very dedicated to learning about flying. He studied at the School of Armavir pilots, where he learned important skills. Later, in 1955, he graduated from the Ryazan Airborne School. This school was known for training people in airborne operations. After finishing his studies, he became involved in important tests of parachute systems. These tests were part of a big project led by Sergey Korolev, who was a very important person in the Soviet space program.
The Record-Breaking Jump
A Daring Feat
The day of Yevgeny Andreyev's record-breaking jump was November 1, 1962. He and another brave person, Pyotr Dolgov, went up in a special balloon from a place called Volsk, near Saratov. The balloon carried them incredibly high into the sky. Andreyev jumped out of the capsule when they were at an amazing height of about 25,458 meters (over 83,000 feet). He then free-fell for a very long distance—about 24,500 meters (over 80,000 feet)! After this incredibly long free-fall, he successfully opened his parachute and landed safely.
Honored for Courage
Because of his incredible courage and the success of his parachute equipment test, Yevgeny Andreyev received a very special award. On December 12, 1962, the Soviet government honored him with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He also received the Order of Lenin and a Gold Star medal. These were some of the highest honors a person could receive in the Soviet Union.
Andreyev was also recognized as a "Master of Sports" in the former USSR. This title is given to athletes who achieve very high levels in their sport. He also held an official license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which is a worldwide organization for air sports. In 1985, he was given another special title: "Honored Skydiver Test of the USSR." This showed how much he was respected for his work in testing parachutes.
Later Life and Legacy
A Life of Skydiving
Throughout his career, Yevgeny Andreyev made many daring jumps. In total, he completed eight jumps from the stratosphere, which is a very high part of Earth's atmosphere. These jumps were very important for testing new equipment and understanding how people could survive such extreme conditions. His work helped make skydiving safer and pushed the boundaries of what was thought possible.
His Final Resting Place
Yevgeny Andreyev lived in a village called Chkalovsky, which is in the Moscow region of Russia. He passed away on February 9, 2000, at the age of 73. He was buried in the cemetery of Leoniha village, in the Schyolkovo district, also in the Moscow region. His legacy as a record-breaking skydiver and a true hero continues to inspire people today.
See also
In Spanish: Evgeny Andreev para niños
