Sergei Krikalev The astronaut who was left alone in space
Sergei Krikalev spent a total of 312 days in space and orbited the earth 5,000 times.
Sergei Krikalev, the astronaut on the Soviet space station MIR, had the best view of the world. But he could not see the political fire burning in his own country, Sergei Krikalev.
On May 18, 1991, Sergei Krikalev spacecraft set sail for the Soyuz MIR station on a five-month mission to orbit the Earth.
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| Sergei Krikalev The astronaut who was left alone in space |
He was accompanied by Soviet astronaut Anatoly Artisbarsky and British astronaut Helen Sherman.
The spacecraft took off from the Baikonur Kazmodrom base in Kazakhstan. It was the base by which the Soviet Union overtook the United States during the space race. From here, the first satellite, Sputnik, entered orbit. And then from here the first bitch named Laika and then in 1961 the first man Yuri Gagarin was sent into space.
By then, the MIR station had become a symbol of the Soviet Union's power in space exploration.
Kazakhstan's base used for Soviet space missions
Sergei Krikalev mission was as usual. They had to go there and do the necessary repairs and install modern equipment in the station. Work in space was well under way, but the Soviet Union had begun to collapse on Earth.
Sergei was busy in space at the same time when a strong country like the Soviet Union was falling apart.
Sergei, who was on an easy mission, was trapped in space for several months. His mission dragged on unexpectedly, which began to have a negative effect on his body and mind.
They roamed the earth for more than ten months and then returned to a land that had lost its existence and its parts were divided.
He was dubbed the "last Soviet citizen" in history after being treated in space.
Extraordinary fame
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| By then, the MIR station had become a symbol of the Soviet Union's power in space exploration. |
Sergei Krikalev was born in 1958 in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg.
He studied mechanical engineering at the Leningrad Mechanical Institute in 1981 and after four years of training became an astronaut.
The MIR space station was a major achievement of the Soviet space program
In 1988, he left for MIR on his first mission. Located 400 km above the earth's surface, this station revolved around the earth.
Sergei Krikalev is now the director of the manned missions department at the Russian space agency Roskasmos.
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| During 1991, he visited MIR Station on his second mission. |
During 1991, he visited MIR Station on his second mission.
Kathleen Lewis specializes in Soviet and Russian space programs at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. "Sergei Krikalev had a special place in pop culture because he was one of the first astronauts to speak to ordinary people on Earth using a space station radio," she said.
Lewis explains that during his long mission at the MIR station, Sergei often used the radio to talk to ordinary people. These were the people who found their radio frequency on Earth.
According to Lewis, Sergei had established an informal relationship with people around the world through his speech.
Sergei was not alone on this space station, but he was probably the most popular. "He was not alone at the station," Lewis said. But he was talking to people on the radio all the time. "
Sergei was not alone on this space station, but he was probably the most popular
He says that Alexander Volkov, an astronaut who was with Sergei Krikalev during the breakup of the Soviet Union, was also at the MIR station, but that Sergei still has the distinction of being "the last Soviet citizen."
According to Lewis, he was not the only person at the station. But he has certainly become a well-known figure. "
The end of the Soviet Union
Between 1990 and 1991, all the states of the Soviet Union declared independence.
At that time, President Mikhail Gorbachev, during his political movement 'Perestroika', tried to lead the country towards innovation and closer to capitalism. He divided the economic power of many companies and paved the way for setting up private businesses.
The Communist Party resisted this practice.
A photograph of the MIR station in 1997
Between August 19 and 21, 1991, a hardline Communist Party group tried to overthrow Gorbachev's government. They failed, but it hurt the Soviet Union.
'all is well'
Gorbachev lost control of the country, and Sergei floated in space.
The collapse of the Soviet Union created an uncertain political and economic crisis. Sergei was told from the ground to stay in space until the second order.
"It was unexpected for us," recalls Sergei in the BBC documentary The Last Soviet Citizen. We don't understand what's going on. "
"They gave us very little information and we tried to find out the whole thing."
According to Lewis, Sergei Krikalev learned the truth with the help of people in the West. Until then, he had been believing in the Soviet Union's statement that "everything is fine."
"It simply came to our notice then.
Sergei's wife, Elena, worked as a radio operator in the Soviet space program. He also contacted Sergei but did not give any details about what was happening on the ground.
"I didn't want to tell them about the nonsense," she said in a BBC documentary. And I think that's what they wanted. "
"They always told me that everything was fine. So it was very difficult to figure out what they were really feeling.
Completion of the mission
Sergei acknowledged orders to extend his mission in space, but acknowledged that this was not easy.
"Will I have the courage to do that? Can I stay in space for long?" He recalls. I doubted it. "
In 1991, a hardline Communist Party group tried to overthrow Gorbachev's government. They failed, but it hurt the Soviet Union
Sergei and Alexander could have returned at any time, but that would mean they left the space station and returned.
"It was a problem for the bureaucracy," Lewis said. They did not want to leave the station. But they did not have enough money to replace him.
Meanwhile, the Russian government promised Kazakhstan that it would send its citizen as an astronaut as an alternative to Sergei. In this way, tensions between the two countries could be reduced.
However, Kazakhstan did not have a capable astronaut like Sergei and this type of training could take time.
Sergei, meanwhile, was still in space and was having physical and mental effects on him, of which complete information is still not available.
According to the US space agency NASA, living in space can cause radiation hazards. The infected person may be exposed to cancer or other radiation-related illnesses.
Lack of gravity can also lead to muscle or bone problems. Prolonged exposure to space can also damage the immune system. In addition, loneliness can lead to psychological problems, such as changes in behavior.
But Sergei Krikalev knew that sticking to the mission was his real job.
No alternatives found
Three new astronauts arrived at the station in October. But none of them had as much experience as Sergei. According to Lewis, people outside the Soviet Union were more concerned about Sergei thinking that "one person has been left alone in space."
However, the Russian government's
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Sergei Cricalf returnS ergei spent his time on space station remembering earth. |
priorities were different.
Sergei Cricalf
On October 25, 1991, Kazakhstan declared an independent state, meaning that the space base from which Sergei flew was no longer under Russian control.
On December 25, 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed. On that day, Gorbachev resigned on account of his health, thus ending an impoverished empire.
The Soviet Union was divided into 15 countries, and the country that sent Sergei into space was no more. His hometown of Leningrad was renamed St. Petersburg.
Sergei Cricalf return
Sergei spent his time on the space station remembering the earth. He listened to music with his peers and talked to his fans on the ground on the radio.
Three months later, on March 25, 1991, Sergei Cricalf and Alexander returned to Earth. Sergei Cricalf spend a total of 312 days in space and orbited the earth 5,000 times.
"It was nice to be back," he recalls. We had to make gravity our habit again, but now we were free.
"I wouldn't call it a happy moment, but it was great." Despite the difficult times, Sergei was ready for his new mission.
In 2000, he was part of the first crew to reach the International Space Station. It was a symbol of a new age of space exploration. It forgot the old conflicts and gave the opportunity to many countries to work together. This partnership unveiled the mysteries of the universe.
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