Vladimir Dzhanibekov
He was born in the remote area of Iskandar in the Tashkent region, Uzbekistan. He changed his surname from Krysin when he became a cosmonaut. His family moved to Tashkent soon after his birth. In 1960 he entered into the Leningrad University to study physics, where he became involved in flying, something that he had always been interested in. In 1961 he decided to enrol in the V. M. Komarov Higher Military Flying School at Yeisk. Four years later he graduated and became a flying instructor in the Soviet Air Force. In 1970 he was selected as a cosmonaut. This was the same year that he joined the Communist Party.
Dzhanibekov made five flights: Soyuz 27, Soyuz 39, Soyuz T-6, Soyuz T-12 and Soyuz T-13. In all he had spent 145 days, 15 hours and 56 minutes in space over these five missions. He had also performed two EVAs with a total time of 8 hours and 35 minutes.
After leaving the cosmonaut program in 1986, he became involved in politics. He was the Deputy to the Supreme Soviet of Uzbek SSR from 1985 until 1990. He is also interested painting and his works, predominantly about space have been shown in several exhibtions.
He also became interested in ballooning, and flying around the world. He made only one flight though, that lasted only 30 minutes. He, Larry Newman and Don Moses lifted off in Earthwinds on January 13, 1993 but couldn't penetrate a strong inversion layer and tore the ballast balloon on a mountain peak.
He is twice a Hero of the Soviet Union (by decrees of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 16, 1978 and on March 30, 1981), has five Orders of Lenin and an Order of the Red Star. He is also a Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic and has the Mongolian Order of Sukhe-Bator. He also has the Legion of Honour from France. He is an honourary citizen of Gagarin, Kaluga (Russia), Arkalyk (Kazakhstan), Houston (USA).
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