Soyuz 11 completed its historic mission to the Salyut 1 space station in 1971, but the return to Earth resulted in a fatal accident. Georgy Dobrovolsky, the commander of the three-man crew, perished alongside his colleagues when a ventilation valve malfunctioned during re-entry, causing the capsule to depressurize while still in low Earth orbit.
Early Career and Education
Born in 1928 in Odesa, Georgy Timofeyevich Dobrovolsky pursued a career in aviation. He served as an aircraft pilot before transitioning into the Soviet cosmonaut program. His professional development included rigorous academic and technical training at the Gagarin Air Force Academy, which prepared him for the complexities of orbital flight and spacecraft operations as a podpolkovnik.
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Take the IQ test →The Soyuz 11 Mission
Dobrovolsky commanded the Soyuz 11 crew, which included cosmonauts Viktor Patsayev and Vladislav Volkov. The mission achieved the distinction of becoming the first group of humans to inhabit the Salyut 1 space station. This milestone represented a significant period of advancement for the Soviet space program, though the mission ended in a tragedy that remains unique in the history of human spaceflight.
Legacy and Honors
Following the discovery of the crew's death upon the capsule's landing, an investigation identified that a pressure-equalization valve had opened prematurely. Dobrovolsky was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin, and the Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR title. His service was recognized with several other decorations, including the Medal for Battle Merit, the Medal for Impeccable Service, and multiple jubilee medals commemorating the Soviet Armed Forces. His ashes are interred in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis.
Memorialization
Dobrovolsky’s name is recorded on the Fallen Astronaut sculpture, a commemorative artwork placed on the lunar surface by Apollo 15 astronaut David Scott. The pallbearers at his funeral service included notable figures in aerospace history, such as Alexei Leonov, Vladimir Shatalov, Andriyan Nikolayev, and Thomas P. Stafford, marking his significance within the global scientific community.
Fast facts
- Born: 1928, Odesa
- Died: 1971, low Earth orbit
- Rank: Podpolkovnik
- Education: Gagarin Air Force Academy
- Notable Awards: Hero of the Soviet Union, Order of Lenin
- Burial Site: Kremlin Wall Necropolis
Questions readers ask
What caused the death of the Soyuz 11 crew?
The crew died of asphyxiation after a valve opened accidentally just before leaving orbit, allowing the capsule's atmosphere to vent into space.
Was Georgy Dobrovolsky the only person to die during the Soyuz 11 flight?
No, he died alongside crew members Viktor Patsayev and Vladislav Volkov.
Achievements
- Educated at Gagarin Air Force Academy
- Worked as astronaut and aircraft pilot
