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Viktor GorbatkoSoviet cosmonaut.
Date of Birth: 03.12.1934
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko
- Military and Aviation Career
- Cosmonaut Training and Missions
- Second Space Flight (Soyuz-24)
- Third Space Flight (Soyuz-37)
- Post-Cosmonaut Career
- Awards and Honors
- Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic
- Legacy
Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko
Early Life and EducationViktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko was born on December 3, 1934, in the village of Ventsy-Zarya, Krasnodar Krai, USSR. He spent his childhood and adolescence in the village of Voskhod, where he attended secondary school.
Military and Aviation Career
In 1952, Gorbatko was conscripted into the Soviet Army and assigned to the aviation branch. He completed pilot training and graduated from the Bataysk Military Aviation College in 1956. Gorbatko served in various aviation units of the Soviet Air Force.
Cosmonaut Training and Missions
First Space Flight (Soyuz-7)In 1960, Gorbatko was selected into the first group of Soviet cosmonauts. He trained for missions on the Vostok and Voskhod spacecraft. Initially, he was designated as the backup cosmonaut for Alexei Leonov's spacewalk mission, but he was later medically disqualified.
Second Space Flight (Soyuz-24)
After recovering from his medical condition, Gorbatko resumed training under the Soviet lunar program. He was part of the backup crew for Soyuz-2, which was scheduled to launch in 1967 but was canceled. In 1977, Gorbatko commanded the Soyuz-24 mission, which docked with the Salyut-5 space station. This mission lasted 17 days and 17 hours.
Third Space Flight (Soyuz-37)
Gorbatko's third and final space flight came in 1980 as part of the Intercosmos program. He commanded the Soviet-Vietnamese Soyuz-37 mission, which lasted 7 days and 20 hours.
Post-Cosmonaut Career
After retiring from the cosmonaut corps in 1982, Gorbatko continued to work at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. He held various positions, including commander of the cosmonaut detachment and head of a faculty at the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy.
Awards and Honors
Twice Hero of the Soviet UnionThree Orders of Lenin
Order of the Red Star
Golden Medal of the USSR Academy of Sciences named after K. E. Tsiolkovsky
Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic
Hero of the Socialist Republic of VietnamTwo Orders of Sukhe Bator (Mongolia)
Order of Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)
Honorary citizen of numerous cities in Russia, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, and Mongolia
Legacy
Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko passed away on May 20, 2017, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most accomplished cosmonauts in Soviet and Russian history. His contributions to space exploration continue to inspire future generations.
