Viktor Savinuh
Russia- Biography of Viktor Petrovich Savinykh
- Early Life and Education
- Career as a Cosmonaut
- Achievements and Recognition
- Contributions to Science and Society
- Other Roles and Interests
Biography of Viktor Petrovich Savinykh
Viktor Petrovich Savinykh, a Soviet cosmonaut, holds the honorary title of "Hero of the Soviet Union" twice (1981, 1985) and the title of "Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR" (1981). He was born on March 7, 1940, in the village of Beryozkiny, Orichevsky District, Kirov Oblast. His father, Petr Kuzmich Savinykh (1914-1983), and mother, Olga Pavlovna Savinykh (born June 30, 1916), raised him. Viktor is married to Liliya Alekseevna Savinykh (born February 23, 1941), and they have a daughter, Valentina Viktorovna Antipova (born August 12, 1968), as well as two grandchildren: Ilya Antipov (born July 21, 1990) and Lisa Antipova (born October 25, 1996).
Early Life and Education
Viktor Savinykh completed his education at the Perm Railway Technical School (1957-1960), the Moscow Institute of Geodesy, Aerial Photography, and Cartography (1963-1969), and the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (1990-1994). He began his career as a foreman for artificial constructions on the Sverdlovsk Railway in 1960. He then joined the ranks of the Soviet Army (1960-1963), serving in the railway troops and participating in the construction of the Ivden-Ob river line.
Career as a Cosmonaut
After completing his studies, Savinykh joined the S.P. Korolev Design Bureau, where he worked for 20 years (1969-1989). He held various positions, including engineer, senior engineer, test cosmonaut, and complex leader. He was selected as a cosmonaut on December 8, 1978. His first space flight took place in 1981 aboard the "Soyuz T-4" spacecraft. He spent 75 days on the "Salyut-6" space station. His second flight, lasting 169 days, occurred in 1985. During this mission, he docked with the malfunctioning "Salyut-7" station, restored the dead station, and performed a spacewalk to install an additional solar battery. In 1988, Savinykh embarked on his third trip to space aboard the "Soyuz-TM5" spacecraft as part of a Soviet-Bulgarian crew. They spent 10 days on the "Mir" orbital station. In November 1988, he was elected as the rector of the Moscow Institute of Geodesy, Aerial Photography, and Cartography, assuming the position in February 1989.
Achievements and Recognition
Viktor Petrovich Savinykh has been honored with the title of "Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR" (1981) and has been awarded the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union" twice (1981, 1985) and three Orders of Lenin (1981, 1985, 1988). He was also awarded the titles of "Hero of Mongolia" and "Hero of Bulgaria" (1988) for his participation in joint space programs with Mongolian and Bulgarian cosmonauts. Savinykh received the Mongolian Order of Sükhbaatar and the Bulgarian Order of Dimitrov in 1988. In 1994, he was awarded the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" of the III degree. Savinykh holds a Doctorate of Technical Sciences and is a laureate of the State Prize of the USSR (1989) and the State Prize of Russia (1996) for comprehensive aerospace remote sensing in the creation and operation of geotechnical systems. Since 1996, he has been the leader of the project to create a reference geodetic network for Moscow.
Contributions to Science and Society
Viktor Petrovich Savinykh is the chief editor of the journal "Geodesy and Aerial Photography" (since 1990) and the author of several books, monographs, and textbooks. He is a member of various Russian and international academies and organizations, including the International Academy of Astronautics (Paris, 1990), the International Engineering Academy (1991), the International Academy of Informatization (1994), and the Academy of Cosmonautics (1993). He is the president of the Association of Russian Universities (1992) and a member of the International Committee of the Association of Spaceflight Participants (1994).
Other Roles and Interests
From 1989 to 1991, Savinykh served as a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and was a member of the Committee on Ecology. From 1986 to 1990, he headed the Swimming Federation of the USSR. In his free time, he enjoys various sports activities such as skiing, alpine skiing, swimming, and tennis. He also likes to spend his summers in Vyatka, his hometown, where he can wander through the forest and relax by the Vyatka River.
Viktor Petrovich Savinykh currently lives and works in Moscow. His address is Gorokhovsky Pereulok, Building 4, K-64, 103064 Moscow. He can be reached by phone at 261-3152 or by email at [email protected].
