BIRCH Anatoly

Astronaut Russia. Born April 11, 1942 in the village (now pgt) Enem October district Adygei Autonomous Oblast (now the Republic of Adygea) of the Krasnodar Territory in the family working. After graduating from high school he worked as a turner at a factory Neftemash "in the city of Novocherkassk, Rostov Region. In 1961 he enrolled in Kachin Higher Military School of Pilots. After graduating from college in 1965, served in its instructor pilot. Since 1967, the aviation wing of the Odessa Military District. In 1970 he enlisted in the detachment of Soviet cosmonauts (1970 Group of the Air Force? 5). It has been a full course of general space training and preparing to fly to the ship type of Soyuz and orbital stations Salyut. In 1977, without interruption from work graduated Air Force Academy named after Yury Gagarin.

Preparing to fly on a military space station Almaz. In July and October 1976 and February 1977 was a support crew during the flight of Soyuz-21 "," Soyuz-23 and Soyuz-24 ". May 13, 1982, along with Valentin V. LEBEDEV began flying in space as commander of the Soyuz T-5 ". He made 211-day flight on board the orbital station Salyut-7 ". During the work on board the station crew took two visiting: Soviet-French of Vladimir Aleksandrovich Dzhanibekov, . Alexander Sergeyevich Ivanchenkov and French astronaut Jean-Loup Chretien and expedition of the Soyuz T-7 "as part of Leonid Ivanovich POPOVA, . Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Serebrova and Svetlana SAVITSKY,
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Returned to Earth on Dec. 10, 1982, along with Valentin V. Lebedev's board Soyuz T-7 ". Length of stay in space was 211 days 9 hours 4 minutes 32 seconds. In the future, trained for space flight program Intercosmos. In April 1984, was part of the backup of the Soviet-Indian crew. In August 1988, was part of the backup of the Soviet-Afghan crew. Since 1992 - deputy commander of the cosmonaut training center for Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.

Hero of the Soviet Union (Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of 10 December 1982). Awarded the Order of Lenin and medals. Awarded with the officers of the Legion d'Honneur (France), India's highest award - the Order "Kirti Chakra", the Order of the Sun of Freedom "(Afghanistan).