The day before International Day cosmonautics, which is celebrated on April 12, a SMI58 correspondent met with pilot-cosmonaut, Hero of Russia Alexander Samokutyaev. A native of Penza spoke about the everyday life of astronauts, his feelings in outer space, about the mascot on orbital station and about your favorite places in Penza.

SMI58: Alexander Mikhailovich, when did you realize what you wanted to become?

I never had any problems choosing a profession - I always dreamed of being a pilot. True, I hesitated between military and civil aviation. While still at school, I started going to the aircraft modeling sports club at DOSAAF, then there was a glider section and airplane sports. In addition, I have been playing hockey since childhood. For ten years I went to a sports school for children and youth of the Olympic reserve. By the way, Yuri Gagarin was also fond of this sport.

At first I entered the Borisoglebsk Flight School, but did not pass the competition. In order not to lose a year, I entered the Penza Polytechnic Institute. The next year I decided to try my hand again and entered the Chernigov Flight School.

After graduating, I ended up serving in Far East. Then he graduated from the Monino Air Force Academy, and then ended up in Star City.

SMI58: What is the most difficult thing about being an astronaut?

Remember how one of the heroes of the film “Only Old Men Go to Battle” says that “the most difficult thing in our work is waiting.” For me, the most difficult thing was waiting for the huge amount of knowledge gained during my studies to be put into practice.

SMI58: Don’t you think that before, being an astronaut was the dream of every child, but now children dream of becoming bankers?

Yes, indeed. Everyone used to dream of becoming a pilot. And today the profession of an aviator is becoming commonplace. But sooner or later the astronaut profession will reach the same level. There is romance in the astronaut profession. There are 8 billion inhabitants on Earth, and just over 500 people flew into space with all the tourists. It's nothing. So there's still more to come.

Media58: Recently, the film “Soyuz-7”, dedicated to Soviet cosmonauts, was released on screens across the country. What is your impression of this picture?

I really liked this film. It is much better than its American counterparts.

SMI58: What feelings did you experience while in outer space? Were you scared?

I felt a sense of pride for my huge country through which you fly. There was also fear, of course. But fear is a normal phenomenon, a defensive reaction of any healthy organism. Fear allows you to control yourself. But fear is not panic at all.

SMI58: What reminded you of your family during the flight?

The mascot of the crew on the ISS was a toy dog ​​with long legs of my daughter Nastya. At the station she “lived” with me in the cabin.

I was reminded of my loved ones by family photographs that I took with me on board the ISS, in which I, my wife, my daughter, and my parents. And memories... Memories of my childhood, of the school where I studied, of the city where I was born and where my parents live.

SMI58: What does Penza mean to you?

Firstly, all my relatives and friends are here, the graves of my ancestors are here. I was born here. And there cannot be another Motherland.

SMI58: What are your favorite places in Penza?

I love to walk along Moskovskaya Street. I like the embankment near Rostok, I really love the ramparts and the building of the Legislative Assembly. For me, this is not just an administrative building, there used to be a House of Pioneers, and there I came across the concept of “aviation” for the first time in my life; there I attended an aircraft modeling club.

Media58: Tell me, how do astronauts communicate with their family during the flight?

The system of information communication with the family is very important aspect our work. Cosmonauts are happy to attend a private conference, use IP telephony, and amateur radio communications in order to communicate not only with family, loved ones, friends, but also with radio amateurs.

SMI58: What kind of work are you currently doing?

Currently, I work in a corps of cosmonauts, I am involved in their training, and all their activities in the corps, according to my position.

SMI58: What would you advise today’s boys who set themselves high goals in life?

You need to believe in yourself and know exactly what you want. And only then firmly move towards this goal.

Reference

Alexander Mikhailovich Samokutyaev

- pilot-cosmonaut, test cosmonaut 3rd class, head of the group of cosmonaut candidates of the Roscosmos cosmonaut detachment (Russia), reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Education

Finished high school No. 56 Penza. In 1987 he entered the Penza Polytechnic Institute, but a year later he interrupted his studies by entering the Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots. In 1992 he graduated from college with a degree in flight engineer.

- in 1998-2000 he studied at the Gagarin Air Force Academy,

- from August 2005 to November 2008, he was trained as part of a specialization and improvement group.

Career

- April 1, 2009 appointed commander of the backup crew spaceship Soyuz TMA-18 and flight engineer of the main expedition ISS-23/24.

- Alexander Samokutyaev made his first space flight from April to September 2011 as part of the crew of the 27/28th long-term expedition to the ISS as the commander of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft and the ISS flight engineer.

During the flight, he exited open space lasting 6 hours 23 minutes.

The flight duration was 164 days.

- September 2014 - March 2015 - orbital mission.

At the end of September, the Soyuz TMA-14M manned transport spacecraft (TPV) was launched with a crew of Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova, NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore. The crew performed more than 50 scientific experiments in orbit.

On October 19, 2015, by order of the head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Institute Cosmonaut Cosmonaut named after Yu. A. Gagarin", he was appointed to the position of deputy commander of the Cosmonaut Detachment Cosmonaut Cosmonaut, retaining the position of instructor-cosmonaut-tester. At the same time, he was relieved of his post as commander of a group of cosmonaut candidates.

In April 2017, Roscosmos decided to relieve Alexander from his post for medical reasons.

Awards

- By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 904 of June 25, 2012, for the courage and heroism shown during a long-term space flight on the International Space Station, Colonel Alexander Mikhailovich Samokutyaev was awarded the title of Hero Russian Federation with the presentation of a special distinction - the Gold Star medal.

- March 10, 2016 - Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Alexander Samokutyaev the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree

Alexander Samokutyaev was born on March 13, 1970 in the city of Penza. Graduated from secondary school No. 56 in Penza. While studying at school, I was involved in the parachuting section. In 1987 he entered the Penza Polytechnic Institute, but in 1988 he interrupted his studies and entered the USSR Air Force. He graduated from the Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots in 1992 with a degree in pilot engineer.

In 1992-1998, he served first as an instructor in the Chernigov VVAUL, then in a helicopter school in Ukraine, then in the Far Eastern Military District as part of the 1st Air Army, where he rose to the rank of squadron commander. The total flight time is more than 680 hours. Performed 250 parachute jumps. Mastered the Vilga35A, L13 Blanik, L39, Su24M aircraft. In 2000 he graduated from the Yu.A. Gagarin Air Force Academy.

Since 2000, head of the organizational and planning department of the 2nd Directorate of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin. On January 20, 2003, he received a positive conclusion (admission to special training) at a meeting of the Chief Medical Commission (CMC).

At a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the Selection of Cosmonauts on May 29, 2003, he was enrolled in the cosmonaut corps to undergo general space training (GCT).

On June 16, 2003, he began the OKP, which he completed on June 27, 2005, having passed state exams in the CPC with an “excellent” rating. At a meeting of the Interdepartmental Qualification Commission on July 5, 2005, he was awarded the qualification “test cosmonaut”. In 2005 - 2008, he underwent training under the flight program to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a group of astronauts.

In July 2008, a message appeared about his appointment to the backup crew of the 25th expedition to the ISS (ISS25, launched on the Soyuz TMA18 spacecraft in March 2010). This should be the first flight of a new modification of the Soyuz TMA spacecraft (700th series). At the GMK meeting on February 10, 2009, he received permission to train as part of the backup crew of the Soyuz TMA spacecraft No. 701. In October 2008, reports appeared about his appointment to the main crew of the 27th expedition to the ISS (ISS27, launch on the Soyuz TMA spacecraft No. 231 March 31, 2011). On October 7, 2009, this appointment was confirmed by NASA.

At the TsPK, together with A.I. Borisenko and Scott Kelly, on March 11-12, 2010, he passed the pre-flight exams with a grade of “good” and “excellent”. On April 1, 2010, the Interdepartmental Commission approved him as the commander of the backup crew of the Soyuz TMA18 spacecraft and the 23rd/24th main crews of the ISS. During the launch of the Soyuz TMA18 spacecraft

He was the backup commander of the ship on April 2, 2010. At a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the selection of cosmonauts and their appointment to manned spacecraft and stations on April 26, 2010, he was certified as a cosmonaut of the detachment of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Institute Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin."

At the TsPK, together with A.I. Borisenko and Ronald Garan, on March 4, 2011, he passed the pre-flight examination training on the Russian segment of the ISS. On March 5, 2011, the crew passed the examination training on the TDK7ST simulator (the Soyuz TMA simulator).

The CPC commission rated the crew’s work during the comprehensive two-day training as “excellent.” On March 11, 2011, the Interdepartmental Commission at the TsPK approved him as the commander of the main crew of the Soyuz TMA21 spacecraft. April 4, 2011 at a meeting State Commission at the Baikonur Cosmodrome he was confirmed as the commander of the main crew of the Soyuz TMA21 spacecraft.

He made his first flight into space as the commander of the Soyuz TMA21 spacecraft and flight engineer of the 27th and 28th main expeditions to the ISS from April 4, 2011 to September 16, 2011. Started with A.I. Borisenko and Ronald Garan.

Soyuz TMA21 successfully docked to the ISS on April 6, 2011, and on September 16, 2011, it undocked from the ISS and on the same day the spacecraft’s descent module successfully landed on the territory of Kazakhstan, 149 km from the city of Dzhezkazgan. The total flight duration was 164 days 5 hours 41 minutes 19 seconds. During the flight, he performed a spacewalk lasting 6 hours and 22 minutes.

By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 904 of June 25, 2012, Colonel Alexander Mikhailovich Samokutyaev was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation for the courage and heroism shown during a long-term space flight on the International Space Station. In stock since 2012. Since January 16, 2013, head of the group of cosmonaut candidates at the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Research Institute Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin." Pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, military pilot 3rd class. Colonel.

Awarded medals “For Distinction in military service"1st, 2nd and 3rd degrees, "For military valor" 2nd degree.

Samokutyaev Alexander Mikhailovich

test cosmonaut 3rd class -

head of the group of astronaut candidates

Roscosmos cosmonaut corps (Russia),

reserve colonel of the Russian Armed Forces,

518th cosmonaut of the world,

109th cosmonaut of the Russian Federation.

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH

MARITAL STATUS

Married. Wife - Samokutyaeva (Zosimova) Oksana Nikolaevna. Raises a daughter. Mother, Maria Aleksandrovna Samokutyaeva, lives in Penza.

EDUCATION

In 1987 he graduated from high school in Penza. In 1988 he entered the Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which he graduated in 1992 with a degree in Pilot Engineer. In 1998 he entered the Yu.A. Air Force Academy. Gagarin and graduated from it in 2000.

EXPERIENCE

After graduating from college, he served in Air Force units as a pilot, senior pilot, and deputy commander of an aviation squadron. Military pilot 3rd class. Mastered the Vilga-35A, L-13 Blahnik, L-39, Su-24M aircraft. Has a total flight time of 680 hours. Performed 250 parachute jumps. He is qualified as a diver officer. After graduating from the academy in 2000, he was appointed to the position of head of the 2nd department at the Yu.A. Gagarin.

PREPARATION FOR SPACE FLIGHTS

In May 2003, he was enrolled as a candidate test cosmonaut in the cosmonaut corps of the Yu.A. Gagarin.

In June 2003, he began general space training, which he completed on June 27, 2005, having passed the state exam with an “excellent” grade.

In July 2005, at a meeting of the Interdepartmental Qualification Commission (IQC), he was awarded the qualification “test cosmonaut”.

From August 2005 to November 2008, he underwent training as part of a specialization and improvement group.

From December 2008 to April 2010, he underwent training as part of the backup crew of ISS-23/24 as an ISS flight engineer and commander of the Soyuz TMA TPK.

From April 2010 to April 2011, he prepared for a space flight as part of the main crew of ISS-27/28 as the commander of the Soyuz TMA TPK and the ISS flight engineer.

From October 2012 to March 2014, he underwent training as part of the backup crew of ISS-39/40 as the commander of the Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft and the ISS flight engineer.

Since March 2014, he has been preparing for a space flight as part of the main crew of ISS-41/42 as the commander of the Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft and the ISS flight engineer.

SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE

WITH Amokutyaev Alexander Mikhailovich - pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, 109th cosmonaut of Russia and 521st cosmonaut of the world, test cosmonaut - group commander of the cosmonaut detachment of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Testing Center for Cosmonaut Training named after Yu. A. Gagarin", colonel.

Born on March 13, 1970 in the city of Penza. Russian. Graduated from secondary school No. 56 in Penza. While studying at school, I was involved in the parachuting section. In 1987 he entered the Penza Polytechnic Institute, but a year later he interrupted his studies by entering the Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots. In 1992 he graduated from college with a degree in flight engineer. In 1998-2000 he studied at the Yu.A. Gagarin Air Force Academy.

He served as a military pilot in the Far East. In 1992-1998, he served first as an instructor in the Chernigov VVAUL, then in a helicopter school in Ukraine, then in the Far Eastern Military District as part of the 1st Air Army, where he rose to the rank of squadron commander. The total flight time is more than 680 hours. Performed 250 parachute jumps. Mastered the Vilga-35A, L-13 Blanik, L-39, Su-24M aircraft. Since 2000, head of the organizational and planning department of the 2nd Directorate of the Yu.A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (CPC).

On January 20, 2003, he received a positive conclusion (admission to special training) at a meeting of the Chief Medical Commission (CMC). On May 29, 2003, at a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the Selection of Cosmonauts, he was enrolled in the cosmonaut corps to undergo general space training (GCT). On June 16, 2003, he began the OKP, which he completed on June 27, 2005, having passed the state exams at the CPC with an “excellent” grade. At a meeting of the Interdepartmental Qualification Commission on July 5, 2005, he was awarded the qualification of “test cosmonaut”.

In 2005-2008, he underwent training under the flight program to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a group of astronauts. In July 2008, a message appeared about his appointment to the backup crew of the 25th expedition to the ISS (ISS-25, launched on the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft in March 2010). This should be the first flight of a new modification of the Soyuz TMA spacecraft (700th series). At a meeting of the GMK on February 10, 2009, he received permission to train as part of the backup crew of the Soyuz TMA ship No. 701.

In October 2008, reports appeared about his appointment to the prime crew of the 27th expedition to the ISS (ISS-27, launch on the Soyuz TMA spacecraft No. 231 on March 31, 2011). On October 7, 2009, this appointment was confirmed by NASA. On March 11-12, 2010, at the CPC, together with A.I. Borisenko and Scott Kelly (USA), he passed the pre-flight exams with a grade of “good” and “excellent”. On April 1, 2010, the Interdepartmental Commission approved him as the commander of the backup crew of the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft and the 23/24th main crew of the ISS. During the launch of the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft on April 2, 2010, he was the backup commander of the spacecraft.

At a meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the selection of cosmonauts and their appointment to manned spacecraft and stations on April 26, 2010, he was certified as a cosmonaut of the detachment of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Institute Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin."

On March 4, 2011, at the CPC, together with A.I. Borisenko and Ronald Garan, he passed the pre-flight examination training on the Russian segment of the ISS. On March 5, 2011, the crew passed the examination training on the TDK-7ST simulator (the Soyuz TMA simulator). The CPC commission rated the crew’s work during the comprehensive two-day training as “excellent.” On March 11, 2011, the Interdepartmental Commission at the TsPK approved him as the commander of the main crew of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft. On April 4, 2011, at a meeting of the State Commission at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, he was approved as the commander of the main crew of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft.

He made his first flight into space as commander of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft and flight engineer of the 27th and 28th main expeditions to the ISS from April 4, 2011 to September 16, 2011. Started with A.I. Borisenko and Ronald Garan. On April 6, 2011, Soyuz TMA-21 successfully docked to the ISS, and on September 16, 2011, it undocked from the ISS and on the same day the spacecraft’s descent module successfully landed on the territory of Kazakhstan, 149 km from the city of Dzhezkazgan. The flight duration was 164 days 5 hours 41 minutes 19 seconds. During the flight, he performed a spacewalk lasting 6 hours and 22 minutes.

U Order of the President of the Russian Federation No. 904 dated June 25, 2012 for the courage and heroism shown during a long-term space flight on the International Space Station, Colonel Samokutyaev Alexander Mikhailovich awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation with a special distinction - the Gold Star medal.

Since 2012, Colonel A.M. Samokutyaev has been in reserve.

In September 2012, he replaced D.Yu. Kondratyev as commander of the main crew of the Soyuz TMA spacecraft, the launch of which was scheduled for September 2014 under the ISS-41/42 program. In January 2013, together with E.O. Serova and Barry Wilmore (USA), he successfully completed training in a forest near Moscow to practice actions after landing in a wooded and swampy area in winter for 48 hours.

On February 20, 2014, at a meeting of the State Medical Committee at the Central Pedagogical Committee, which analyzed medical examination data Russian members the main and backup crews of the 39/40th long-term expedition to the ISS were declared fit for space flight for health reasons. On March 4, 2014, he began undergoing comprehensive training as the commander of the backup crew of ISS-39/40 together with flight engineers E.O. Serova and Barry Wilmore. On this day, an examination training took place on the simulator of the Soyuz TMA-M spacecraft. On March 5, the crew passed the test training on the Russian segment of the ISS.

On March 24, 2014 in Baikonur, at a meeting of the State Commission for Flight Testing of Manned Space Complexes, he was approved as the commander of the backup crew of the Soyuz TMA-12M TPK. During the launch of the Soyuz TMA-12M TPK on March 26, 2014, he was the backup commander of the spacecraft. On September 3, 2014, he began undergoing comprehensive training as the commander of the main crew of ISS-41/42 together with flight engineers E.O. Serova and Barry Wilmore. On this day, an examination training took place on the Russian segment of the ISS. On September 4, the crew passed the test training on the Soyuz TMA-M TPK simulator.

On September 24, 2014 in Baikonur, at a meeting of the State Commission for Flight Testing of Manned Space Complexes, he was approved as the commander of the main crew of the Soyuz TMA-14M TPK.

He made his second flight into space as the commander of the Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft and a member of the 41st and 42nd main expeditions to the ISS from September 25, 2014 to March 12, 2015. Started with E.O. Serova and Barry Wilmore. On September 25, 2014, Soyuz TMA-14M successfully docked to the ISS despite the solar panel not opening, and on March 12, 2015, it undocked from the ISS and on the same day the spacecraft’s descent module made a successful landing on the territory of Kazakhstan, 145 km south-west. east of the city of Dzhezkazgan. The flight duration was 167 days 5 hours 42 minutes 40 seconds. During the flight he performed a spacewalk.

The total duration of the two flights is 331 days 11 hours 23 minutes 59 seconds. The total duration of the two spacewalks is 10 hours 3 minutes.

Since January 16, 2013 - commander of the 3rd group (cosmonaut candidates) of the cosmonaut corps. Since October 19, 2015 - deputy commander of the cosmonaut corps of the Cosmonaut Training Center, retaining the position of instructor-test cosmonaut.

Colonel (2011), pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation (06/25/2012), military pilot 3rd class. Awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 4th degree (02/15/2016), medals.

Municipal budget educational institution secondary school.

Research project: “Cosmonautics and the Penza region.”

Completed by 10th grade student Vadim Budylin.

Head: teacher of physics and mathematics, 1st qualification category Vasina N.P.

S. Lipovka, 2014.

1.Introduction.__________________________________________________________3

2. A little history...

2.1 Dreams about space and attempts to write.______________________________4

2.2 First artificial satellite Earth._______________________5

2.3 The first living beings in orbit.__________________________7

2.4 Man in space.__________________________________________10

3. The contribution of our fellow countrymen to space exploration.________________________________13

4. Conclusion_________________________________________________18

5. References._________________________________________________19

Introduction.

The history of space exploration is the most striking example of the triumph of the human mind over rebellious matter in the shortest possible time. From the moment a man-made object first overcame Earth's gravity and developed sufficient speed to enter Earth's orbit, only a little over fifty years have passed - nothing by the standards of history! Most of the planet's population vividly remembers the times when a flight to the moon was considered something out of science fiction, and those who dreamed of piercing the heavenly heights were considered, at best, crazy people not dangerous to society. Today, spaceships not only “travel the vast expanse”, successfully maneuvering in conditions of minimal gravity, but also deliver cargo, astronauts and space tourists into Earth orbit. Moreover, the duration of a flight into space can now be as long as desired. long time: the shift of Russian cosmonauts on the ISS, for example, lasts 6-7 months. And over the past half century, man has managed to walk on the Moon and photograph its dark side, blessed Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury with artificial satellites, “recognized by sight” distant nebulae with the help of the Hubble telescope, and is seriously thinking about colonizing Mars. And although we have not yet succeeded in making contact with aliens and angels (at least officially), let us not despair - after all, everything is just beginning! Space activities and space exploration are an area of ​​creation of advanced technologies associated with science and state security, which is of strategic importance from the point of view of the political and economic status of the state. While working on the project “Cosmonautics and the Penza Region”, we learned that many cosmonauts are connected with the Penza land, got acquainted with the enterprises of Penza and the region, and scientists who contributed to the development of astronautics. With our project we want to attract the attention of our peers to the contribution of our fellow Penza residents to the exploration and exploration of space. Project goal: Find out what contribution our fellow countrymen made to space exploration. Project objectives: 1. Study historical information about space exploration. 2. Collect information from our fellow countrymen who contributed to space exploration.

A little history... Dreams about space and attempts to write.

For the first time, progressive humanity believed in the reality of flight to distant worlds at the end of the 19th century. It was then that it became clear that if aircraft give the speed necessary to overcome gravity and maintain it for a sufficient time, it will be able to go beyond the Earth’s atmosphere and gain a foothold in orbit, like the Moon, revolving around the Earth. The problem was in the engines. The existing specimens at that time either spat extremely powerfully, but briefly, with bursts of energy, or worked on the principle of “gasp, groan and go away little by little.” The first was more suitable for bombs, the second - for carts. In addition, it was impossible to regulate the thrust vector and thereby influence the trajectory of the apparatus: a vertical launch inevitably led to its rounding, and as a result the body fell to the ground, never reaching space; the horizontal one, with such a release of energy, threatened to destroy all living things around (as if the current ballistic missile was launched flat). Finally, at the beginning of the 20th century, researchers turned their attention to a rocket engine, the operating principle of which has been known to mankind since the turn of our era: fuel burns in the rocket body, simultaneously lightening its mass, and the released energy moves the rocket forward. The first rocket capable of taking an object beyond gravity, designed by Tsiolkovsky in 1903.

The first artificial satellite.

Time passed, and although two world wars greatly slowed down the process of creating rockets for peaceful use, space progress still did not stand still. The key moment of the post-war period was the adoption of the so-called package rocket layout, which is still used in astronautics today. Its essence is the simultaneous use of several rockets placed symmetrically with respect to the center of mass of the body that needs to be launched into Earth orbit. This provides a powerful, stable and uniform thrust, sufficient to move the object with constant speed 7.9 km/s, necessary to overcome gravity. And so, on October 4, 1957, a new, or rather the first, era in space exploration began - the launch of the first artificial Earth satellite, like everything ingenious, simply called “Sputnik-1”, using the R-7 rocket, designed under the leadership of Sergei Korolev. The silhouette of the R-7, the ancestor of all subsequent space rockets, is still recognizable today in the ultra-modern Soyuz launch vehicle, which successfully sends “trucks” and “cars” into orbit with astronauts and tourists on board - the same four “legs” of the package design and red nozzles. The first satellite was microscopic, just over half a meter in diameter and weighed only 83 kg. It completed a full revolution around the Earth in 96 minutes. The “star life” of the iron pioneer of astronautics lasted three months, but during this period he covered a fantastic path of 60 million km!

After the launch of the world's first artificial satellite, it became clear to everyone that human space flight is a matter of the not so distant future. Both here and in the United States, work has begun to create manned spacecraft.

In the USSR he headed this work Sergei Pavlovich Korolev. By mid-1958, a general scheme spacecraft for the flight of an astronaut: the ship must consist of two compartments, one of them is a descent vehicle for returning the astronaut to Earth, the second was called the instrumentation module, it housed the service systems of the spacecraft and the braking propulsion system (TDU). They decided to choose the shape of the descent vehicle in the form of a sphere; this significantly simplified all the necessary calculations for the return of this capsule to Earth. By the spring of 1960, the first flight prototype of the ship was ready. In parallel with the creation of the ship, the rocket was being developed, since a more powerful rocket was required to fly a man into space than the one that launched the first satellite. Estimates showed that the mass of a spacecraft with a person should be somewhere around five tons. A third stage was installed on the rocket - the famous "seven", or R-7, which ensured the completion of the assigned task. At the same time, they solved one of the big difficulties at that time - the need to start a rocket engine in a vacuum, since the third stage engine had to be turned on already in airless space.

The series of launches preceding manned space flight was opened by the flight of the first satellite launched into orbit on May 15, 1960. The launch and flight were successful. When trying to send the ship to Earth, a failure occurred in the orientation system and the braking impulse did not reduce, but increased the speed of the ship. It was not very pleasant, but as S.P. Korolev joked: “Now we have learned to maneuver in space.”

The first living beings in orbit.

The success of the first launch inspired the designers, and the prospect of sending them into space living creature and returning him safe and sound no longer seemed impossible. Just a month after the launch of Sputnik 1, the first animal, the dog Laika, went into orbit on board the second artificial Earth satellite. Her goal was honorable, but sad - to test the survival of living beings in space flight conditions. Moreover, the return of the dog was not planned... The launch and insertion of the satellite into orbit was successful, but after four orbits around the Earth, due to an error in the calculations, the temperature inside the device rose excessively, and Laika died. The satellite itself rotated in space for another 5 months, and then lost speed and burned up in dense layers of the atmosphere.

The first shaggy cosmonauts to greet their “senders” with a joyful bark upon their return were the textbook Belka and Strelka, who set off to conquer the heavens on the fifth satellite in August 1960. Their flight lasted just over a day, and during this time the dogs managed to fly around the planet 17 times. All this time they were watched from monitor screens in the Mission Control Center - by the way, it was precisely because of the contrast that white dogs were chosen - because the image was then black and white. As a result of the launch, the spacecraft itself was also finalized and finally approved - in just 8 months, the first person will go into space in a similar apparatus.

The flight of the next spacecraft with dogs Bee and Mushka, launched on December 1, 1960, ended unsuccessfully - upon returning to Earth, the descent module collapsed, descending along an undesigned trajectory. In December 1960, another attempt was made to launch a ship with dogs on board, this happened on December 22. However, the third stage of the rocket did not fire, and the descent module landed in the remote taiga near the Lower Tunguska River. All measures were taken to find this descent vehicle and deliver it to the enterprise. This expedition was led by Arvid Vladimirovich Pallo, one of the old associates of S.P. Korolev, who was supposed to remove from the combat platoon the emergency detonation system of the descent module, installed in case the device lands in a place inaccessible for evacuation. The ship was found. The dogs Comet and Jester (Zhulka and Alpha) suffered enormous overloads when returning to Earth and forty-degree frost at the landing site. In different sources, the names of the dogs vary, which is due to the custom of giving more “euphonious” names before launching. Due to the failure of the catapult, the space travelers remained in the descent module, which saved their lives. On the second day after landing they were rescued. Two test launches were prepared, which took place on March 9 and 25, 1961. During these flights, the entire flight program with a person on board was repeated. Start, one-orbit flight, landing. In the cosmonaut’s chair there was an anthropometric dummy, they called him “Ivan Ivanovich”, the resemblance to a person was complete, for some reason they even dressed him in an ordinary suit. After putting on the spacesuit, a piece of whatman paper with the inscription “model” was placed on Ivan Ivanovich’s face during the launch on March 25, so as not to frighten those who could accidentally find him before the rescuers. To check the voice communication, a tape recorder was installed in it, on which a song was recorded performed by the choir named after. Pyatnitsky, again so that in case of failure there could not be even a shadow of suspicion that a person died and not a dummy. During the flight on March 9, the dog Chernushka was placed in a small container, which was placed where during the astronaut's flight there should be a container with food intended for the astronaut during his flight.

The “strike” six cosmonauts from the first squad were invited to the second launch, which took place on March 25. A total of 20 young pilots were selected for the detachment. By this time, the composition of the “shock” group looked like this: Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin, German Stepanovich Titov, Grigory Grigorievich Nelyubov, Andrian Grigorievich Nikolaev, Pavel Romanovich Popovich, Valery Fedorovich Bykovsky. G.G. Nelyubov and V.F. Bykovsky replaced Anatoly Yakovlevich Kartashev and Valentin Stepanovich Varlamov, who were originally part of the group, and were withdrawn from it for medical reasons. WITH light hand Gagarin's dog, which started on March 25, was christened Zvezdochka. The launches were successful. In addition to dogs, both before and after 1961, monkeys (macaques, squirrel monkeys and chimpanzees), cats, turtles, as well as all sorts of little things - flies, beetles, etc., were in space.

Man in space.

The day of April 12, 1961 divided the history of the exploration of space into two periods - “when man dreamed of the stars” and “since man conquered space.” At 9:07 Moscow time, the Vostok-1 spacecraft with the world's first cosmonaut on board was launched from launch pad No. 1 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. - Yuri Gagarin. Having completed one revolution around the Earth and traveled 41 thousand km, 90 minutes after the start, Gagarin landed near Saratov, becoming for many years the most famous, revered and beloved person on the planet. His “let’s go!” and “everything is visible very clearly - space is black - the earth is blue” were included in the list of the most famous phrases humanity, his open smile, ease and cordiality melted the hearts of people around the world. The first manned space flight was controlled from Earth; Gagarin himself was more of a passenger, albeit an excellently prepared one. It should be noted that the flight conditions were far from those that are currently offered to space tourists: Gagarin experienced eight to tenfold overloads, there was a period when the ship was literally tumbling, and behind the windows the skin was burning and the metal was melting. During the flight, several failures occurred in various systems of the ship, but fortunately, the astronaut was not injured.

Was Yu.A. Gagarin worried? Everyone noted his excellent, even mood on the day of the start. But this is what the measurement of the pulse showed at different stages of preparation, launch and flight, which to a certain extent is related to the emotional state of the astronaut. Four hours before the launch - the pulse is 65 beats per minute, five minutes before the launch - 108, during the launch phase - at the end of the first minute - above 150, by the end of the launch phase - again about 108. At the moment the brake propulsion system is turned on and at the start entry into the atmosphere - 112. During the flight in zero gravity, the pulse rate was 97 beats per minute.

In his report to the State Commission, Yu.A. Gagarin reported everything very scrupulously. For example, that during the descent on the main parachute, the reserve backpack opened, but its canopy was never filled, that the NAZ (portable emergency reserve) attached to a separate halyard came off. Certain difficulties arose when opening the breathing valve in air. It turned out that the ball of this valve, when they were dressing the astronaut, got under the unmasking shell - the famous orange jumpsuit. Everything was so pulled in by the suspension system that Yu.A. Gagarin could not reach it for about six minutes, then he unfastened the unmasking shell and, using a mirror, pulled out the cable and opened the valve normally. Before that, in the air, he disconnected the connector of the ORK (combined oxygen connector), opened the glass curtain of the spacesuit while already on Earth. Thus ended the flight of Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin.
Following Gagarin's flight, significant milestones in the history of space exploration fell one after another. goy.

On June 16, 1963, the Vostok-6 spacecraft was launched into orbit, the first in the world to be piloted by a female citizen. Soviet Union Valentina Tereshkova. Her call sign for the duration of the flight was “Chaika,” before the start Valentina Tereshkova said: “Hey! Heaven, take off your hat." The flight lasted almost three days, during which time the spacecraft made 48 revolutions around the Earth. Valentina Tereshkova is the only woman in the world to fly into space alone.

On March 18, 1965, the spacecraft ZKD N 4, called Voskhod-2, was launched with cosmonauts Pavel Belyaev and Alexey Leonov on board. The mass of the ship was 5,682 kg - 362 kg more than the mass of Voskhod. 1 hour 35 minutes after the launch (at the beginning of the 2nd orbit), Alexey Leonov was the first in the world to leave the spacecraft, as Pavel Belyaev announced to the whole world: “Attention! A man has entered outer space! A man has entered outer space!” The television image of Alexei Leonov soaring against the background of the Earth was broadcast on all television channels. Leonov was in outer space for 23 minutes. 41 seconds, and outside the airlock in outer space - 12 minutes. 09 sec. At this time, he moved away from the ship at a distance of up to 5.35 m. During the exit, his spacesuit was connected to the side of the ship with a special electrical cable, since it was not completely autonomous. During the flight, the cosmonauts talked with party and government leaders gathered in the Sverdlovsk Hall of the Kremlin. A day later, on the 18th orbit, the ship landed in the Perm region, and TASS announced the complete success of the flight. Soviet cosmonauts carried out their first spacewalk 2.5 months earlier than the Americans.

The contribution of our fellow countrymen to space exploration.

How it all began...

On January 30, 1934, a distant voice came from the loudspeaker: “Sirius speaking!” Sirius speaking! This message was broadcast Ilya Usyskin- one of the three brave stratonauts of the stratospheric balloon "Osoaviakhim- 1". They monitored cosmic rays; 34 scientific instruments were installed in the stratospheric balloon gondola. The Osoaviakhim-1 stratospheric balloon reached an altitude of 22 km. It was a world record! It was a scientific feat! They recorded their observations in a logbook. On January 30, between 15:30 and 176 hours, the Osoaviakhim-1 stratospheric balloon fell in the Insarsky district of the Mordovian region. All participants in the flight: Fedoseenko, Vasenko and Usyskin died. At the suggestion of the presidium, it was decided to bury the ashes of the heroes on Red Square, in the Kremlin wall. Soon, Pravda published a decree signed by M.I. Kalinin on awarding the stratonauts (posthumously) with the Order of Lenin (the title “Hero of the Soviet Union” did not yet exist). Ilya Usyskin spent his years of study in Penza.

Petr Dolgov

Born on February 21, 1920 in the village of Bogoyavlenskoye, Zemetchinsky district, Penza region. Hero of the Soviet Union, senior test instructor of parachute equipment at the USSR Air Force Research Institute, colonel. On November 1, 1962, Dolgov made a test jump from the Volga stratospheric balloon from a height of 25,600 meters. According to the test program, he jumped in a sealed spacesuit with the immediate deployment of the parachute. The descent from such a height should have taken 38 minutes. But when exiting the cabin, the suit depressurized, and although the parachute system worked normally, Colonel Dolgov died in the air. Penza State University carefully preserves the memory of the 1955 graduate, Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Patsaev. He wanted to enter the Moscow Geological Prospecting Institute at the Faculty of Aerial Photography. I dreamed of studying the Earth from above. Victor successfully passed all the exams, but did not score the required number of points, and he was offered to transfer to the Penza Industrial Institute. During his first year, Patsayev did not give up hope of transferring to geological exploration, but a department of computing and analytical machines was opened at the Penza Industrial Faculty of Precision Mechanics. Victor submitted an application to the dean's office to enroll him in new specialty. Patsayev lived on one scholarship, but did not turn to his parents for help (there were six children in the family). He preferred to unload cars at the Penza-3 station with a friend, and also wrote articles in “Young Leninist”. For all his passion for technology, he was a true romantic, practiced fencing, and competed as part of the regional team at the USSR Spartakiad. He adored Lermontov and knew many of his works by heart. On June 6, 1971, TASS transmitted information about the launch of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft with three cosmonauts on board - V. Volkov, G. Dobrovolsky and V. Patsaev. Alas, after 23 days of work in orbit, when the crew returned to Earth, the cabin depressurized. The astronauts died.

Alexander Samokutyaev Since childhood I dreamed of heaven. In kindergarten, he loved to climb into the iron rocket standing in the yard. It was impossible to expel him from there by any force. Because of this, he even received the nickname “Sashka Gagarin”. Then no one could have thought that it would turn out to be prophetic. Alexander grew up very inquisitive. His parents had to subscribe to scientific and educational magazines for him. Later, the boy became interested in technical modeling. The Samokutyaevs’ apartment turned into a storage facility for models of rockets, airplanes and other equipment. In high school, Alexander began attending an aircraft modeling club. A little later I signed up for the Penza Aero Club. It was here, flying gliders and parachuting, that he finally fell in love with the sky. So much so that after studying for a year at the Polytechnic Institute, unexpectedly for everyone, I took my documents and entered the Chernigov Higher Flight School. Having become a military pilot, Samokutyaev was assigned to the Far East. After the squadron was disbanded, Alexander turned to Moscow. After studying the pilot’s dossier, the Main Directorate of Military Aviation recommended Samokutyaev to enter the Yu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy. After three years of work in the star city, Alexander was enrolled in the cosmonaut corps. He made his first flight into space, as commander of the Soyuz TMA-21 spacecraft, in April 2011. Thanks to Alexander Samokutyaev, who chose the name of the State Lermontov Museum-Reserve “Tarkhany” as the call sign for the spacecraft, the Penza brand became widely known throughout the world. The idea to take such a call sign came to Alexander after reading a poem by Mikhail Lermontov, which contains the lines: “the earth sleeps in a blue radiance.” “Reading these lines, it seems that Lermontov saw the Earth from space,” the future astronaut shared in correspondence with museum staff. For all his fame and wide popularity, Alexander Samokutyaev is a true example of a patriot of the Sur region. About my small homeland he doesn't forget for a minute. His boundless love is evidenced by the fact that Alexander kept the flag of the Penza region on board the ship, and while in orbit, he sent a video message and congratulations on Cosmonautics Day to the residents of the Penza region. In September 2014, our fellow countryman flew into space again. The cosmonaut has a six-month shift ahead of him. On October 22, Alexander made his second spacewalk; the total duration of Samokutyaev’s stay outside the space station is 10 hours 4 minutes.

Talented engineer Yuri Fedorov was responsible for the security of Vostok systems. Yuri Ivanovich was born and raised in Penza. In 1950, after graduating from an industrial institute, he was assigned to Baikonur. Our fellow countryman worked at the cosmodrome for 26 years, rising from a junior engineer to the head of a laboratory. He was preparing for launch the first intercontinental rocket, the first artificial Earth satellite, as well as the legendary Vostok ship, on board of which Yuri Gagarin flew. Yuri Ivanovich was very worried when cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov died in flight. This was the first death in space. Fedorov recalled that the ship was prepared for flight in a terrible hurry. Many shortcomings were identified, not only of a factory nature, but also of a design nature. It got to the point that military testers refused to sign the completion of one or another section of the tests. But the high authorities pressed and hurried. And the design bureau was forced to agree. At the end of 1983, Lieutenant Colonel Fedorov retired and taught for a year at the Moscow State University. aviation institute, then moved to his native Penza. For his services, Yuri Ivanovich was awarded the title “Veteran of the Baikonur Cosmodrome.” Fedorov died in October 1999. Our fellow countryman, a native of the village, has been working at the Flight Control Center (MCC) for more than 30 years. Znamenskaya Pestrovka , Ivan Nikolaevich Tsyplikhin. He sent cargo spaceships on difficult flights and landed them hundreds of times.

“They don’t burn in fire and don’t drown in water,” this is what they say about Penza-made measuring sensors. If you imagine space exploration as a kind of documentary, in his credits we would definitely see the names of many Penza enterprises. At one time, launch pads for cosmodromes were created at Khimmash, and special tankers were produced at Bessonov’s GRAZ. Now the space theme of these enterprises is closed. But at NIIFI she still plays an important role. Penza Research Institute physical measurements(NIIFI), was directly involved in the development and creation of rocket and space computer technology: sensors, elements of the launch structure, radio-electronic elements, resistors, capacitors, telemetric information equipment, gas stations. All these developments were introduced into mass production in many Penza research institutes and industrial enterprises. The reliability of the equipment is amazing. The factory museum displays samples from crashed rockets. Melted devices that have withstood colossal overloads and pressure are in working condition. At least send me into space again! Measuring instruments NIIFIs were used in all domestic space probes sent to Venus, the Moon, Mars and Jupiter. The plant workers were especially proud of their participation in the launch of the Energia-Buran rocket complex. The flight was monitored by three and a half thousand Penza-made sensors. And not a single one refused! The experience of creating measuring equipment for the Energia-Buran project served as the basis for the creation of new types of sensors. Until now, some of them have no foreign analogues. American transport complexes Atlas is equipped with NIIFI sensors. The illustrious team of the Federal Research and Production Center FSUE "Research Institute of Physical Measurements" from 1995 to 2009 was headed by its General Director and chief designer, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Academician Russian Academy cosmonautics named after. K.E. Tsiolkovsky, Russian Academy of Engineering, International Academy navigation and motion control Evgeny Mokrov.

Conclusion.

The echo of the space launch echoed throughout our planet, causing the admiration and pride of all people on earth. It's finished! The age-old dream of mankind has come true! For the first time, an inhabitant of planet Earth rushed to the stars. Yuri Gagarin made one revolution around the Earth, but this feat opened a new era of human flight into outer space, in which thousands took part Soviet people. Today, space travel is taken for granted. Hundreds of satellites and thousands of other necessary and useless objects fly above us; seconds before sunrise, from the bedroom window you can see planes flashing in rays still invisible from the ground solar panels International Space Station, space tourists set off with enviable regularity to “roam the open spaces” (thus embodying the ironic phrase “if you really want to, you can fly into space”) and the era of commercial suborbital flights with almost two departures daily is about to begin. The exploration of space by controlled vehicles is absolutely amazing: there are pictures of stars that exploded long ago, and HD images of distant galaxies, and strong evidence of the possibility of the existence of life on other planets. Billionaire corporations are already coordinating plans to build space hotels in Earth’s orbit, and projects for the colonization of our neighboring planets no longer seem like an excerpt from the novels of Asimov or Clark. One thing is obvious: once having overcome earth's gravity, humanity will again and again strive upward, to the endless worlds of stars, galaxies and universes. I would only like to wish that the beauty of the night sky and myriads of twinkling stars, still alluring, mysterious and beautiful, as in the first days of creation, never leaves us.

Conclusion:
Penza is a unique source of personnel for domestic aviation and astronautics. Associated with it are the names of researchers of the stratosphere (the layer of the atmosphere to which the British assigned the term “pre-cosmos”) Pyotr Dolgov and Ilya Usyskin, as well as the pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR, Hero of the Soviet Union, who was part of the crew of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft - Viktor Patsaev, tragically died in orbit on June 29, 1971. Of course, cosmonaut Alexander Samokutyaev, a native of Penza. Penza industrialists and scientists also made a great contribution to space exploration.

References.

1. “Space technology” edited by K. Gatland. 1986 Moscow.

2. “SPACE, far and near” A.D. Koval V.P. Senkevich. 1977

3. “Space exploration in the USSR” V.L. Barsukov 1982

4. Internet encyclopedia "Wikipedia"