Vladimir Dezhurov accumulated 37 hours and 2 minutes of extra-vehicular activity across nine spacewalks during his career as a Russian cosmonaut. A veteran of both the Mir space station and the International Space Station, he served as a pilot within the Russian Air Force before transitioning to test cosmonaut duties at the Cosmonaut Training Center starting in 1987.
Early Military Career and Training
Born in 1962 in the settlement of Yavas, Mordovia, Dezhurov completed his formal education at the S.I. Gritsevits Kharkov Higher Military Aviation School in 1983. He earned a pilot engineer's diploma and served as a pilot and senior pilot in the Russian Air Force. Following his assignment to the Cosmonaut Training Center in 1987, he underwent two years of general space training and became a test cosmonaut in 1989. In 1991, he commenced studies at the Yuri A. Gagarin Air Force Academy.
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In March 1994, Dezhurov was appointed commander of the Mir-18 mission. He launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 14, 1995, aboard the Soyuz TM-21 spacecraft, docking with the station on March 16. During his 115-day tenure, he conducted five spacewalks with Gennady Strekalov to perform maintenance, including work on the Kristall and Kvant-1 modules. The mission ended on July 7, 1995, with a landing at the Kennedy Space Center via Space Shuttle Atlantis.
International Space Station Expedition
Dezhurov returned to space as a flight engineer for Expedition 3 on the International Space Station. He launched on August 10, 2001, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery and spent four months at the station. During this period, he performed four additional spacewalks, including the 100th spacewalk by Russian cosmonauts, which involved outfitting the Pirs Docking Compartment. He returned to Earth on December 17, 2001, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Awards and Honors
Dezhurov received the title of Hero of the Russian Federation and was named a Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation in 1995. His military and service decorations include the Order For Merit to the Fatherland, 4th class, the Medal For Merit in Space Exploration, the Medal For Impeccable Service, and the Jubilee Medal 70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR. He is also recognized as an honorary citizen of Mordovia.
Fast facts
- Born: 1962, Yavas, Russia
- Military Rank: Colonel
- Career Spacewalks: 9
- Total EVA Time: 37 hours, 2 minutes
- Missions: Mir EO-18, ISS Expedition 3
- Education: S.I. Gritsevits Kharkov Higher Military Aviation School
Questions readers ask
When did Vladimir Dezhurov retire from his cosmonaut career?
He retired on July 12, 2004.
What specific task did Dezhurov perform during his final spacewalk?
On December 3, 2001, he removed a rubber seal that had interfered with the docking of a Progress resupply ship.
Achievements
- Worked as astronaut