Rukavishnikov Nikolai

Astronaut Russia. Born September 18, 1932 in the city of Tomsk in the family of railway. In 1951 he entered the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute. In his student years showed a tendency to scientific work. In 1957 he graduated from the Faculty of electronic computing devices and means of automation of the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute and received a degree in Engineering Physics specializing 'insulators and semiconductors'. After graduation he worked at a research institute in the OKB-1 (CB Queen). In 1967 he enlisted in the detachment of Soviet cosmonauts (1967 a group of civilian experts? 2 (extra set). It has been fully trained to fly on the Soyuz-type spacecraft and orbital stations Salyut-type. Trained in the Soviet 'moon' program. 23 - 25 April 1971 made his first space flight as a test engineer spacecraft Soyuz-10. The flight program included a three-week work on board the orbiting space station Salyut 1. However, due to technical failures work at the station was canceled and the flight was interrupted prematurely.

The flight lasted 1 day 23 hours 45 minutes 54 seconds. After the first space flight continued to prepare for new flights. Since May 1973 is trained in the Soviet-American program EPAS. He was appointed as flight engineer. 2 - 8 December 1974 made a second space flight as a flight engineer of the spaceship Soyuz-16. In flight tests were carried out docking station, established by the program EPAS. The flight lasted 5 days 22 hours 23 minutes 35 seconds. He was a member of the backup crew during the flight of the spacecraft Soyuz-19 (July 1975). In the future, are trained in the program of international flights. He was a member of the backup crew for the Soviet-Czechoslovak flight in March 1978.

10 - 12 April 1979 made his third space flight as commander of the spacecraft Soyuz-33. The flight was under the Soviet-Bulgarian project and included work on board the orbital station Salyut-6. Because of the accident the motor vehicle docking did not take place and the ship made a premature landing. The flight lasted 1 day 23 hours 1 minute 6 seconds. Trained to the Soviet-Indian flight, but due to sickness during the flight did not take part. Over 3 flights in space flown 9 days 21 hours 10 minutes 35 seconds. After leaving the cosmonaut corps worked as deputy department chief of NGOs 'Energy'. Chairman of the USSR space Federation (1985 - 1991 gg.). Since 1991 - President of the Federation Space Russia.

Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. He was awarded three Orders of Lenin. Hero of the MPR. Hero Bulgaria. He was awarded a gold medal to. E. Tsiolkovsky Academy of Sciences of the USSR, an honorary diploma in the name. M. Komarova (FAI). Honorary citizen of Kaluga, Tomsk, Kjahta (Russia), Karaganda, Arkalyk, Dzhezkazgan (Kazakhstan), Sukhbaatar Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Houston (USA).