Vladimir Aleksandrovich Shatalov

THIRTEENTH
It has become a tradition. After the flight, "the East" his pilot named Yuri Gagarin cosmonaut-1, Gherman Titov received the title of astronaut-2. Andriyan Nikolaev - astronaut-3 ...
I remember a conversation with Yuri Gagarin. Thinking about something, he suddenly said with a smile:
- Interesting, but as myself will feel trinadtsatyyN Who they will be of our rebyatN
... We met with him at the launch site the day before the launch of the spacecraft "Soyuz-4". Journalists always seek out a "bind" to the events. So it was then. When traveling in a hotel, where the astronauts live, there was a conversation that's Monday, 13-th number and talk to us to be with someone tomorrow to announce as an astronaut-13. It would seem fatal, unlucky number, baker's dozen. Wait for surprises, tricks, all sorts of surprises.

The cosmodrome is not superstitious. Far from superstition and those who live and work in Star. They jokingly said that the 13 - the number of happy, citing evidence of very good examples. Like, in the thirteenth century, made many astronomical discoveries, published a famous book "Sphere of the Universe". Large astronomical treatise Almagest ", written by Claudius Ptolemy, consists of 13 volumes. In the thirteenth day of March 4781, the planet Uranus was discovered. Venus is 13 times more light than that of Saturn. The first Soviet liquid fuel rocket, which received a girdovtsev name "GIRD 09", was launched into production at number 13. Many of the satellites "Cosmos" series started in the thirteenth day of the month ...

Cosmonauts-13 was Vladimir Shatalov.

PROFESSION astronaut determined not only by the number of launches, not only by the number of hours and days spent in orbit ... She is a whole life ". It is his words. These words about it.

It is hard to remember how he began his commitment to the sky. During the Civil War Volodya's father, Alexander B., worked as a mechanic in the aviation detachment. Much has seen, many experienced. He and the son had heard about the "Farmanov and Nieuport, the amazing stories that happened on earth and in heaven, how red the pilots performed the task of the revolution and Lenin personally.

. Instead of "Nieuport" and "Farmanov" came the planes created by Soviet designers
. Appeared and a new generation of pilots. Volodin idol was Chkalov. Portraits of the pilot, cut from newspapers and magazines, kept as the most precious relics. When I heard on the radio news of the tragic death of famed test pilot, wept. In silence, hiding her tears, crying men. Then he took out a sheet of parchment and led children's handwriting:

"Today died a great time in our pilot Valery Chkalov". The paper carefully folded, placed in a glass tube, and burning over the fire fingers, sealed. He was keeping it for many years. And only in the war, when the family was away from the besieged Leningrad, the ampoule was lost ...

Aviation biography of Vladimir Shatalov also began, like many of his peers. Special schools Air Force, then flying school ... Classes on the theory that at first all seems long and unnecessary tests and exams, and only after that - a date with the sky-the first and very short ... Then the other, initially not very frequent. Normal Uchilischnaya rhythm, simple and everyday. But in this everyday and convey the characters of those who chose the road to heaven.
... Winter. Sparkling snowflakes and seems to melt on the fly. "Contact!" "There is a contact!"-Jerky sound in the chill wind. The two, who were to fly noticeably worried. One forgot to switch the power on the main tanks, the other not tested. Youth!

Soared. Circled. But Vladimir had run an instructor and found the bottom of the patch of the airfield, as the motor sneezed razdrugoy - and stopped.

They sat down across the strip. Fortunately, no breakages and damage. Lowering his head and hiding his eyes, listened to the notation. But the case that benefited them. With him, perhaps, and uncompromising rigor began to detail. The sky may not be the primary and secondary.

Vladimir remained true to this principle for life. Flew thoughtfully, the plane felt fine. Since he graduated from high school and became an instructor. And here's another memorable event. It was one of his first flights with the cadet. Soared. We went to the first turn. The height of a small - 150 meters. And suddenly the car began to smoke, her stretched black smoke trail. Arrow benzomera rushed about the scale and, trembling, fell to zero. From the earth on the radio: "The plane is on fire!"

Vladimir turned: "And indeed, we are burning."

The first thing he thought - he was not alone in the car. Consequently, he is responsible for two. Strict order of the students: "Do nothing!" Myself ". Said and did not recognize his own voice: hoarse, faltering. I thought: "This is bad, now we must be especially cool-headed and resolute". And, as if correcting the mistake, firmly added: "Bail will not. Let's sit down .- And after a pause: - Be sure to sit down! "
Below, under wings, a garden and a very long trench. Quite irrelevantly tractor puffing in front of the. The plane does not stick, pulls down. "But would not hurt for anything, just to get him to slide into this narrow strip - neither above nor below, neither right nor left".
All cost. Not by itself, of course. From such a calamity accident withdraws. Just nerves gripped in a fist, calculated every meter of height, each movement. Without jerking, slowly and carefully took the plane down ... The test showed: that the pilot did not break anything.
... There were three, cronies: Vladimir Shatalov, Valentin Mukhin Evgeny Kukushev. However, graduated from college, worked together a year instructors. Then the second -. "Held" before the release of one group of students through a series of "yak", received another. Begin first. Takeoff, landing ... Takeoff, landing ... As if hit in a vicious circle. What dalsheN thoughts on this bored Vladimir sadness, and consciousness fired the idea: it is necessary to ask for a transfer to drill part. And then there's Chief Test Pilot School came. It was rumored that he supposedly will select candidates in that same school.
One evening Shatalov and Mukhin sat in his bachelor's room, listening to the radio and silent. Vladimir could not resist:
. - Come to the head of the school, talk, asked ...
. - ZachemN - growled Valentin - Wait! Will they call if they need will be.
. - Under a still stone no water flows - not calm down Vladimir .- miss time - spare.
. - I do not believe in this venture, Volodya.
. Shatalov insisted
. Chief greeted them cordially. Questioned, recorded names, but nothing is promised. When parting, lieutenant hesitated a bit. They stand, do not go.
- Another one estN
- There. Three of us. Write, please, and yet Kukusheva Eugene.
Head of School looked at them, as if remembering something, then flipped through a notebook, and suddenly burst out laughing:
- Wait, wait. So he was with me, too, in the test requested, and asked you to write. Here are your names: Shatalov, Mukhin.
. - Good Zhenya! - Could not resist and they clearly saluted and went out.
. After some time, all three of them called chief of the school:
. - Run sobralisN
. They were silent, not knowing what to say.
. - Admire - the telegram came
. Troy smiled cheerfully, nudging each other's elbows. But the chief did not hurry with a greeting:
- Here is a response text. Do not let you go. And again on their faces confusion. Smiles as the wind blew. Then two yet released. And Vladimir left. We left the students to learn to fly, but not at the piston, a jet
... In the Academy did in a year when the competition was exceptionally high: seventeen candidates for one seat. Vladimir received.
And another five years of hard work. Academy graduated with honors. Then there were the combatant forces, the step from the posts zamkomeska to deputy commander of the regiment. Then appointed inspector. His whole life was spent at the airport. Familiar to the last pothole runway, measured his steps, hundreds and thousands of times. Hotch saw her Vladimir Shatalov - in the dust in the puddles in the time of leisurely autumn rains, covered with a crust of crunchy underfoot ice in winter. And the sky above it looked differently: a scorching sun, almost white, then purplish-black, like a swirling before the storm, the clean and sparkling stars. Stop for a moment, zakinesh head, to listen - and seems to hear the whispering they fantastic shimmering in the infinitely distant heights. Once people fly them!

And flew. The first, second, third ... New burst of profession. Shatalov, too, was thinking of flying into space.

Inscribed there were many more young. I found out what the requirements were. It turns out he was placed in these "standards". Since then lost all peace. He saw the goal and sought to implement it.

And then came the moment when he stepped over the threshold of the Star. Since then, all his enthusiasm, he subjected the important things in his life. Especially fond of underwater hunting. There, under water, simulated weightlessness! Vladimir even look all transformed when he begins to talk about the amazing life of the Black Sea or the White Lake, near Moscow. "Whimsical wreath of seaweed, transparent stillness, flocks of fishes, big and small ... They play, dodge, hide. No, who is not seen - do not understand ". In his diving equipment which one can imagine: guns, aqualung, masks, fins, lead belt, wet suit, which he himself being accomplished and glued ...

We had known only a few days. He invited me to his home. Things sometimes can tell about the man than he. The apartment is around to feel the taste. And many, many books. They were crowded, not enough room, and it is most upset hosts. In this house the books loved by all: the wife of Vladimir Muse Andreyevna, and children - Igor and Lena.

I knew that he was one of the candidates for the upcoming flights, and asked to describe how he had going.

- MoiN - He raised his eyebrows. - I fly, train ...

With him interesting to talk and argue. That argument. He is not ready to recognize "yes" and "no". He is always self-evident and do not really believe, when with him immediately agree.

Speaking of the behavior and actions of people in a given situation. The formula "such de circumstances" he does not accept: "You can explain a lot, but not everything can be justified."

Question: "How do you feel about sebeN"-did not put him in a dead end.

- KakN.. Different. Anyone who believes that it all finally and irrevocably good to go, in fact, nowhere. Such a man is not merely devoid of conscience - he's dead. Dead spiritually ...

And. In fact, he wanted his job a deep understanding of all issues, not dividing them into major and minor. All these years of accumulated knowledge of astronomy, celestial mechanics, control systems, cybernetics, biology. Experts easily expresses itself with him in his language and his arguments are taken seriously and with great attention.
It may seem different: restrained and temperamental, soft and unapproachable, open and closed. And at the same time he always remains himself and can not be or appear different - better or worse depending on the situation. Hence the respect for all who know him or is related to work.

... He was appointed commander of the Soyuz-4 ". We had to perform many complex tasks. Two manned spacecraft were the first to meet in orbit, dock to form a single complex ... Two cosmonauts from the Soyuz-5 "had to go through open space aboard its Soyuz-4". That was in January 1969. It was then that he became an astronaut-13.

"The most important thing that somewhere there is what would you have lived". It said the writer and aviator Antoine Saint-Exupery. So, the lives of those who are committed to the sky and space, made up of individual moments when you need to collect all the will of all the ability to use everything you've learned and mastered before, and of continuous improvement. Vladimir Shatalov was holding the steering wheels of different types of winged machines, two thousand hours spent in the air, a few days in space. He was the pilot of the Soyuz-4 ", served as the flagship in the group flight of three ships, piloting Soyuz-8". When this phase is behind us, he longed for a new flight, launch, about a new job. And this dream has come true.
Shortly before the new start, I met Vladimir Alexandrovich at the Star. He walked with training. At issue is easier to get prepared for the third flight, said: a lot harder. And not only that the complicated problem. It goes without saying. He spoke of duty, that now need to work even harder, more collected by. After all, the result of his work - this is the result of selfless labor of many, many people. Their trust of great responsibility.
"Soyuz-10" was the third of his ship. He led it to dock with the orbital station Salyut for testing search capabilities, convergence and coupling. From this depended on the flight performance of large and complex program of space research. The crew of In. Shatalov, A. Eliseev and H. Rukavishnikova task performed.
Country twice honored his high title of Hero of the Soviet Union, three Orders of Lenin adorn the chest astronaut. International Astronautical Federation awarded him an honorary diploma FAI behalf of Vladimir Komarov and Gold Medal of the Yuri Gagarin ...