Georgy Dobrovolsky

Georgiy Timofeyevich Dobrovolsky
Native name
 Гео́ргий Тимофе́евич Доброво́льский
Nationality Soviet
Born (1928-06-01)June 1, 1928
Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died June 30, 1971(1971-06-30) (aged 43)
Outer space
Other occupation
 Pilot
Rank Podpolkovnik, Soviet Air Force
Time in space
 23d 18h 21m
Selection Air Force Group 2
Missions Soyuz 11
Awards

Georgiy Timofeyevich Dobrovolsky (Russian: Гео́ргий Тимофе́евич Доброво́льский; June 1, 1928 – June 30, 1971)[1] was a Soviet cosmonaut who served on the three-man crew of the Soyuz 11 spacecraft. They became the world's first space station crew aboard Salyut 1, but died in space due to asphyxiation due to an erroneously opened valve. They were the first and, as of 2017, the only humans to have died in space.

Biography

Dobrovolsky, Viktor Patsayev and Vladislav Volkov flew on the Soyuz 11 mission and were the world's second crew to die during a space flight (after Vladimir Komarov in Soyuz 1).

After a normal re-entry, the capsule was opened and the crew was found dead.[2] It was discovered that a valve had opened just prior to leaving orbit that had allowed the capsule's atmosphere to vent away into space, suffocating the crew.[3]

Dobrovolsky's ashes were placed in an urn in the Kremlin Wall Necropolis on the Red Square in Moscow.[4] He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the title of Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR.

References

  1. ↑ "Georgy Timofeyevich Dobrovolsky". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  2. ↑ Kluger, Jeffrey (31 January 2013). "Soyuz 11: Georgi Dobrovolski, Victor Patsayev, Vladislav Volkov". Time magazine. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Crew That Never Came Home: The Misfortunes of Soyuz 11". Space Safety Magazine. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  4. ↑ Ivanovich, Grujica S. (2008). Salyut – The First Space Station: Triumph and Tragedy. Springer. p. 351.
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