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Georgiy IvanovThe first Bulgarian cosmonaut
Date of Birth: 02.07.1940
Country:  Bulgaria |
Content:
- Early Life and Military Career
- Space Program
- Soyuz-33 Mission
- Further Aspirations
- Later Career and Personal Life
Early Life and Military Career
Lieutenant General (2004)Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the People's Republic of Bulgaria
Georgi Ivanov was born in 1940 in the village of Vurbino, Bulgaria. In 1964, he graduated from the Georgi Benkovski Air Force Academy as a lieutenant. He then served as a pilot-instructor at the academy. From 1968 to 1975, he commanded a PVO squadron. From 1975 to 1978, he was the commander of a fighter squadron, achieving the rank of Fighter Pilot 1st Class.
Space Program
Selection and TrainingCandidate of Physical Sciences (1984)
In 1977, Ivanov was selected as one of Bulgaria's candidates for the Soviet-Bulgarian space flight program, "Interkosmos." After passing a medical examination in the USSR, he was chosen as one of two Bulgarian candidates for training in space flight. From March 1978, he underwent general space training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
Soyuz-33 Mission
Appointed to the main crew of Soyuz-33Planned стыковка with the Salyut-6 space station
On April 10, 1979, Ivanov embarked on the Soyuz-33 mission as a cosmonaut-researcher, accompanied by Soviet cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov. However, the mission's planned docking with the Salyut-6 space station was aborted due to an engine malfunction. The crew made an emergency landing on April 12, 1979, 320 km southeast of the city of Zhezkazgan. Despite the aborted flight, Ivanov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Hero of the People's Republic of Bulgaria.
Further Aspirations
In 1986, Ivanov was considered for another space flight but did not pass the selection process.
Later Career and Personal Life
Inspector of the Bulgarian Air ForceMember of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria
Co-founder and managing director of "Air Sofia"
After his space flight, Ivanov continued to serve in the Bulgarian Air Force. He was elected to the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and later became involved in the establishment of the private airline "Air Sofia," where he served as managing director. Ivanov was twice married and had two children.
