Astronaut Gennady Strekalov: biography, achievements and interesting facts

The cosmos has always attracted the attention of man. With the study of vast space expanses, scientific progress is connected.

Astronauts were bright, enthusiastic people who wanted to do something new, to learn the unknown. You need to be a really brave person to deal with this insanely interesting, but incredibly complex and dangerous work.

The first cosmonaut was Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin, he wrote a lot of books, made films. But among the cosmonauts there are others, no less famous, but less famous. One of them is Gennady Mikhailovich Strekalov. The biography of this wonderful man and told in the article.

The birth of the future hero

Strekalov Gennady Mikhailovich was born October 28 in 1940 in the Moscow region, the city of Mytishchi. Although my parents lived in the village of Podlipki, but since the maternity hospital was not there, the mothers were taken to Mytishchi. Gennady's parents were simple workers, his father was a turner, and his mother was a cleaner. When the war broke out, my mother with Gena and my elder brother Slava left for the village of Semion in the Ryazan region, and my father was evacuated with a factory in the Urals.

Children's years fell on difficult military and post-war time. Eating very often was not enough, more than once the little Gena went to bed hungry. Many difficulties and hardships had to be overcome by Gennady. But the whole experience formed a firm, decisive character, which helped to achieve later cosmic heights.

A few years after the war, Father Gena volunteered for the front, he died at the end of the war in Poland. Father almost never remembered Gene.

Choice of life path

When the war ended, my mother and children returned to Podlipki, then changed their place of residence. At the age of seven Gennady went to the first class in the city of Kaliningrad, where he finished the ten-year school. I studied very well, I was awarded diplomas for diligence and diligence more than once. Learning was easy, from an early age the boy liked to read not only classics, but also adventures, science fiction. Like many boys, he dreamed of traveling, distant seas, the mysterious and unknown world of the cosmos.

It seemed that providence itself guided the boy's hand when he accidentally broke glass to Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, the scientist-inventor of space rockets. From fair punishment, the boy fled, but later became acquainted with Sergei Pavlovich.

"Cosmonaut of the plant"

Dreams about the institute had to be postponed, the family had a difficult financial situation. I got a job as a pupil of a tinsmith. Having worked there for several years and got a professional 4 rank, Gennady decides to study further and enters the Moscow Higher Technical School named after NE Bauman. After graduating from the institute, I began to work in the Design Bureau.

In the 1970s it was fashionable and prestigious to work as astronauts, at the enterprise they wrote down a special group. Gene was also invited to sign up. At first he refused, believed that there were more worthy people. But when the crew of the spacecraft was killed on descent to the Earth and Geno was accused of cowardice, he wrote a statement to join the detachment. Passed the medical board, despite a difficult childhood, was found suitable for research work in space.

Strekalov Gennady Mikhailovich: family, private life

When Gennady was asked why he was not married, he answered that the bride was there and he was calling everyone for the wedding. With his future wife Lida, the young man met for a year. Young people were in love with each other, but to offer the hand and heart of the beloved Gene could not decide.

The case helped. Having said on the medical board about the wedding, Strekalov understood: there is nowhere to retreat. Having gained courage, he made an offer, Lida agreed. A few years later, Tanya's daughter was born, and a year later, Natasha. The birth of daughters was an important event in the life of Gennady, he was very fond of talking with babes, spending time with them. In the family there was love and respect. Before each flight he called home.

Strekalov Gennady Mikhailovich: career of an astronaut. Space flights

Gennady waited very long for a flight into space, more than eight years. I was about to leave the detachment, but my friends persuaded me not to. The first time in space flew at the age of 40 years and stayed there for 10 days. The expanses of the Universe attracted attention, and the distant Earth attracted to itself, it wanted to protect and protect. Later, Strekalov will become chairman of the Russian Peace Protection Committee.

The next flight took place in three years. The team was preparing for a long work, it was necessary to replace solar panels. Unfortunately, the orbital station failed to dock, and two days later the team returned home.

A few months later, the third flight was due, it was necessary to do what was not possible last time. But at the start, there was an accident. From death, only the rescue system saved. In the history of space flights, the one that took place on September 26, 1983, is considered the shortest. The second birthday was considered this date Strekalov Gennady Mikhailovich.

The history of cosmonautics tells us that the next flight was six months after the accident. The crew included both Soviet and Indian cosmonauts. For nine days there was a team in space.

The fourth flight occurred only seven years later. For four months there was a crew at the station. Gennady Mikhailovich went into open space, after the end of the work a tragedy almost happened. The hatch did not close, it was a catastrophe. Gennady promised himself that if everything goes well, he will never refuse a request to anyone. Fortunately, everything ended well. This promise was kept by Gennady Mikhailovich. He carried out various requests throughout his life.

Strekalov Gennady Mikhailovich is an astronaut who flew into space for the fifth time at the age of 55. Along with the Russian guys, the Americans flew. For 4 months, the ship was in orbit. The work was complicated, there were only six space launches. In addition, just before departure, Gennady Mikhailovich tore his back, lifting very heavy things. Until recently, it was unclear whether he could fly. Fortunately, everything went well and Gennady was able to fly.

Personality Traits

Strekalov Gennady, whose biography is presented to your attention in the article, was a very responsible person. Even in spite of his health problems, he continued to pursue his favorite mission - flying into space. He always believed that you can not let other people down, and poor health and illnesses can not be an excuse for not fulfilling one's obligations.

Cosmonaut Gennady Strekalov was a very curious person, he used every minute of free time to learn something new.

An interesting incident occurred with Gennady during a space flight with an American partner. They decided to check the degree of education of each other. Strekalov suggested that the American recall the names of the American states, he wrote only a third of the names, and Gennady Mikhailovich remembered everything. When the cosmonaut asked why he should know about this, Gena replied that he was very interested in not only the history of his country, but the history of other countries and peoples.

Favorite Activities

Gennady Mikhailovich liked to sit around in the men's company, he also liked to play tennis, go to the bath. I liked to spend time with my wife and daughters, talk with them about life, discuss the books I read, the events taking place in the world.

He was chairman of the Russian Peace Committee. With a peacekeeping mission traveled many cities and countries, helped children, sick, poor people.

One day a Canadian delegation arrived: three adults and 20 children. There was a slight overlap, and the delegation did not move into the hotel. Gennady Mikhailovich brought this company to his home.

Serious illness

The fifth space flight was the last for cosmonaut Gennady Strekalov. Health problems that started before the start, continued in the air.

Gennady Mikhailovich injured his hand during the work. The crew even wanted to interrupt the flight and return to Earth. But that did not happen. Drugs on board, except for hormonal drugs, was not. Hormonal drugs had to drink in huge doses, and this affected the health of Gennady Mikhailovich.

He began to be tortured by incomprehensible pains in the stomach. Numerous examinations have put a terrible diagnosis - cancer. The prescribed treatment did not help, and on December 25, 2004 in the Kremlin hospital Gennady Mikhailovich Strekalov died.

Life is like a bright flash

Strekalov Gennady Mikhailovich (1940-2004) - a man who can be proud of, take an example from him. The life of this remarkable man, twice Hero of the Soviet Union was short, but it was a real feat for the sake of the future of our country, in the name of the development of cosmonautics. Bright memory...