Two Gold Star medals and the title of Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR defined the high-profile career of Vitaly Sevastyanov, an engineer who transitioned from the Vostok design team to extended missions in orbit. His technical contributions spanned decades, encompassing critical roles in the Soviet space program before he shifted his focus toward public service and leadership in the late twentieth century.
Engineering and Flight Operations
Born in Krasnouralsk in 1935, Sevastyanov graduated from the Moscow Aviation Institute in 1959. He immediately began his long tenure at the S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, where he remained until 1993. His early career involved designing the Vostok spacecraft and lecturing on spaceflight physics at the Cosmonaut Training Centre. In 1967, he officially transitioned into cosmonaut training. He achieved significant flight experience through the Soyuz 9 and Soyuz 18 missions, including a two-month residency aboard the Salyut 4 space station.
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Sevastyanov held the position of backup flight engineer for the Soyuz 11 mission in 1971. Following the disaster that claimed the lives of the original crew, he continued his work within the industry. By 1976, he moved away from active flight duties to manage ground control operations for the Salyut 6 station. During the 1980s, he returned to core engineering projects, contributing to the development of the Buran spacecraft.
Public Engagement and Administration
Beyond his technical output, Sevastyanov maintained a public presence, notably hosting the television series Man, Earth, Universe during the 1980s. He also served as the president of the Soviet Chess Federation during two distinct periods between 1977 and 1989. In 1984, he helped establish the Association of Space Explorers alongside Aleksey Leonov, Rusty Schweickart, and Georgy Grechko. In his later years, he served as a member of several convocations of the legislature between 1994 and 2007.
Fast facts
- Born: 1935, Krasnouralsk
- Died: 5 April 2010, Moscow
- Education: Moscow Aviation Institute (1953-1959)
- Military Rank: Colonel
- Major Awards: Two Gold Star medals, two Orders of Lenin
- Known for: Soyuz 9 and Soyuz 18 missions
- Burial Site: Ostankino Cemetery
- Legacy: Sochi International Airport named in his honor
Questions readers ask
Which space missions did Vitaly Sevastyanov fly?
He participated in the Soyuz 9 and Soyuz 18 missions.
What was his role at the S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia?
He worked as an engineer and later as a designer on projects including the Vostok and Buran spacecraft between 1959 and 1993.
Achievements
- Affiliated with S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia
- Educated at Moscow Aviation Institute
- Worked as astronaut, politician and inventor
