Yevgeny Khrunov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yevgeny Vasilyevich Khrunov
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| Born | 10 September 1933 Tula Oblast, USSR
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| Died | 20 May 2000 (aged 66) Moscow, Russia
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| Nationality | Soviet |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union Order of Lenin |
| Space career | |
| Cosmonaut | |
| Rank | Colonel, Soviet Air Force |
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Time in space
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1d 23h 45m |
| Selection | Air Force Group 1 |
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Total EVAs
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1 |
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Total EVA time
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37m |
| Missions | Soyuz 5, Soyuz 4 |
Yevgeny Vasilyevich Khrunov (born September 10, 1933 – died May 20, 2000) was a brave Soviet cosmonaut. A cosmonaut is like an astronaut, but from the former Soviet Union. He is famous for his flight on the Soyuz 5 and Soyuz 4 missions.
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Who Was Yevgeny Khrunov?
Yevgeny Khrunov was a skilled engineer and pilot. He became one of the first people to travel into space. His journey was part of the early space race. He helped show what humans could do in space.
His Early Life
Yevgeny Khrunov was born on September 10, 1933. His parents were Vasily Yegorevich and Agrafena Nikolayevna. He had five brothers and two sisters. His family worked on a farm. People often called him "Zhenya."
He was born in a place called Prudy, in the Tula region of Russia. Later, Yevgeny married Svetlana Sokolyuk. They had a son together on July 13, 1959.
Becoming a Cosmonaut
Yevgeny started school in 1941. At first, he wanted to be a farmer. But during wartime, he saw planes flying. This made him very interested in flying.
After finishing primary school, he went to Kashira Agricultural Secondary School. He earned a scholarship to study there. He graduated in 1952. His teachers always said he was a very hard-working student.
In 1952, Yevgeny joined the Soviet Army. He decided to follow his dream of becoming a pilot. He applied for pilot school and was accepted. He studied at Pavlograd in Ukraine. Later, he moved to the Serov Higher Air Force School in Russia.
When he graduated, he became a Lieutenant. He was promoted again to Senior Lieutenant in 1958. The next year, he was interviewed to become a cosmonaut. He passed all the medical tests. Then, he began his training to go to space.
His Space Mission
Yevgeny Khrunov's most famous mission was on Soyuz 5 and Soyuz 4. This was a very important flight in space history. On January 16, 1969, he performed a spacewalk. He moved from one spacecraft (Soyuz 5) to another (Soyuz 4) in space. This was a difficult and brave task. He spent 37 minutes outside his spacecraft. This showed that cosmonauts could transfer between ships in orbit.
Life After Space
After his time as a cosmonaut, Yevgeny Khrunov kept working. In 1980, he left the space program. He then worked at a research institute for the Ministry of Defence. Later, he worked for a government committee. This committee dealt with foreign economic relations. He retired from work in 1989.
Yevgeny Khrunov passed away on May 20, 2000. He was 66 years old. He died from a heart attack.
Awards and Honors
Yevgeny Khrunov received many awards for his bravery and service. Some of his most important awards include:
- Hero of the Soviet Union: This was the highest honor in the Soviet Union.
- Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR: This title recognized his achievements as a space pilot.
- Order of Lenin: A very high civilian and military award.
- Order of the Red Star: Given for great service in defense.
He also received several jubilee medals. These medals celebrated important anniversaries. They honored his service in the armed forces.
