The Soyuz 11 mission ended in tragedy on 30 June 1971 when its crew, including Vladislav Volkov, died during reentry. As the capsule descended toward Earth, a faulty valve vented the cabin atmosphere into the vacuum of space. This event remains the only instance in history where fatalities occurred directly in outer space, claiming Volkov at age 36.
Engineering and Early Career
Born in Moscow in 1935, Volkov pursued technical studies at the Moscow Aviation Institute, graduating in 1959. He began his professional life as an aviation engineer at the S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. During this period, he contributed to the engineering design phase of the Vostok and Voskhod spacecraft programs, gaining the foundational expertise that eventually led to his selection as a cosmonaut.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Spaceflight Missions
Volkov completed his first space mission aboard Soyuz 7 in 1969. Two years later, he launched on Soyuz 11 alongside crewmates Georgy Dobrovolsky and Viktor Patsayev. The mission achieved a 23-day tenure aboard Salyut 1, marking the first time a crew had operated from a space station. While the mission was initially successful, the fatal depressurization during the descent rendered the operation a historical turning point for Soviet aerospace safety standards.
Recognition and Legacy
The Soviet state awarded Volkov the title of Hero of the Soviet Union twice, first in 1969 and posthumously in 1971. He also received the Order of Lenin and was named a Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR. Following his death, his ashes were placed in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis. Numerous entities bear his name, including a lunar crater, the minor planet 1790 Volkov, and a variety of tomato developed by Mikhailovich Maslov.
Fast facts
- Born: 1935, Moscow
- Died: 1971, Soyuz 11
- Education: Moscow Aviation Institute (1953-1959)
- Employer: S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia
- Primary Awards: Hero of the Soviet Union (twice), Order of Lenin
- Military Rank: Unterleutnant
- Final Resting Place: Kremlin Wall Necropolis
- Known Occupations: Astronaut, engineer, writer
Questions readers ask
How did Vladislav Volkov die?
He died from hypoxia caused by the accidental venting of the Soyuz 11 cabin atmosphere into space during the capsule's reentry.
Which spacecraft did he fly?
He was a crew member on the Soyuz 7 mission in 1969 and the Soyuz 11 mission in 1971.
Achievements
- Affiliated with S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia
- Educated at Moscow Aviation Institute
- Worked as astronaut, engineer and writer
