00:03 (today)
Andrey Sidorchik
Elena Kondakova. © / Vladimir Rodionov / RIA Novosti
The third Russian woman who has been in space, got into orbit contrary to the opinion of her husband, an astronaut.
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Elena Kondakovacosmos
The girl who wanted happiness
In the history of Elena Kondakova, as in the history of Svetlana Savitskaya, the word "blat" will again be mentioned. But if Savitskaya was a "marshal's daughter", then Kondakova was the wife of an astronaut.
A native of Mytishchi, Elena Vladimirovna Kondakova graduated from the Bauman Moscow State Technical University in 1980 and began working in the "space" NPO Energia as a young specialist.
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Star Women. The second story. Svetlana Savitskaya Daughter of her father
At the same time, her future husband Valery Ryumin made his third space flight.
A young specialist, Kondakova was engaged in long-term flight planning, while studying at the Faculty of Art History and Marxist-Leninist Aesthetics of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism.
Experienced Twice Hero Soviet Union Valery Ryumin shared his experience with young cosmonauts.
When in 1985, 46-year-old Ryumin married a 28-year-old colleague in the space industry, he clearly did not imagine that his wife could "escape into orbit." And even more so, he did not assume this after the couple had a daughter in January 1986, who was named Zhenya.
While the wife was going into space, the husband took his daughter to kindergarten
Ryumin himself said in an interview that he was against his wife becoming an astronaut, but he did not have enough strength to keep her.
“Then they didn’t take anyone from the outside, only those who had the appropriate qualifications. It was a sin not to take advantage of this opportunity. Many girls passed the medical examination with me, but only a few survived. Then one became pregnant, the other husband set the conditions: “Either I - or space", and I was left alone. To be honest, my husband was always against my flights, but in the end he said: “You won’t forgive me later,” and agreed,” Elena Kondakova herself described her path to astronauts in an interview with Arguments and Facts.
True, by the time Kondakova became a member of the cosmonaut corps, Ryumin had already left it, while taking one of the important posts in the Mission Control Center.
But the important boss had to take for granted all the inconveniences associated with the fact that your wife is an astronaut. “All the hardships of my pre-flight preparation fell on his shoulders. Because I had to take the child to kindergarten in the morning, bring it in the evening. And then there was the same story with the school,” Elena Kondakova told about her husband in an interview with Vesti. "I wanted to stay more"
On October 4, 1994, the Soyuz TM-20 spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with a crew of Alexander Viktorenko, Elena Kondakova and a German representative, Ulf Merbold.
Like her predecessors, Kondakova also became the first - the first woman to make a long-term space flight. The duration of her flight on the Soyuz and the Mir station was 169 days 5 hours and 35 seconds. On March 22, 1995, when Viktorenko and Kondakova returned to Earth, Valery Polyakov also returned with them, setting a still unbroken space flight duration record - 437 days 17 hours and 31 seconds.
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Despite the record set, this was not enough for Kondakova. “You will probably laugh and say that I’m not all right with my head, but I even wanted to stay. Then, at the end of the term, we were supposed to be replaced by another expedition, which was scheduled to dock with the shuttle a little later” . This was the first, historic docking of the "shuttle" with the "Mir" station. I dreamed that the new crew would not have time and the shuttle would join our team. And then our flight would continue. But this did not happen, ”Kondakova said in an interview with AiF. Mandate instead of spacesuit
The second flight of Kondakova was carried out in May 1997 on the American space shuttle Atlantis under the program of the sixth orbital docking with the Mir station.
Valery Ryumin did not want to lag behind his wife either - in June 1998, an experienced space veteran went to the Mir station on the American Discovery spacecraft.
This ended the family conquest of space. Elena Kondakova, who was preparing for a flight to the ISS, somewhat unexpectedly found herself in the chair of a deputy State Duma. “It all happened by chance. In 1999, I was again on the crew of the ISS, preparing for the flight. And then I was offered to run for the Duma. My husband thought that my biography and the title of Hero of Russia were ideal for such a thing. all electoral formalities, and at the same time he persuaded: “You have already experienced fate twice, that’s enough.” I took his wise advice. And she became a deputy,” said the third Russian woman in space in an interview with Argumenty i Fakty.
Related article
Star Women. Stories about Russian women who conquered space
In 1999, Kondakova became a State Duma deputy from the Fatherland - All Russia party, and from 2003 to 2011 she was a parliamentarian from the United Russia party. Iron character
But in 2011, the female cosmonaut showed her character by announcing her withdrawal from the United Russia party due to disagreement with the results of internal party elections. "People were given sheets with the numbers of those for whom it was necessary to vote, when counting the ballots, it turned out that there were more of them than people on the site. Primaries" United Russia"is an economically inexpedient game of democracy. I am aware that my statement means the end of my political career", - Elena Kondakova announced at a special press conference.
In March 2012, Elena Kondakova, who graduated from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry in 2006, was appointed Russia's trade representative in Switzerland.
To be continued
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Elena Kondakovacosmos

TASS MESSAGE

On June 16, 1963, at 12:30 Moscow time in the Soviet Union, the Vostok-6 spacecraft was launched into Earth satellite orbit for the first time in the world, piloted by a woman - a citizen of the Soviet Union, cosmonaut comrade Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna.

This flight will continue to study the influence of various factors of space flight on human body, including comparative analysis the impact of these factors on the organisms of men and women, a new volume of biomedical research was carried out and further development and improvement of manned systems spaceships in a joint flight.

In accordance with the tasks set, the Vostok-6 spacecraft was launched while the Vostok-5 spacecraft, launched in the Soviet Union on June 14, 1963, was in orbit.

At present, two Soviet spacecraft, Vostok-5 and Vostok-6, are simultaneously in flight in outer space, piloted by citizens of the Soviet Union Valery Fedorovich Bykovsky and Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova.

The parameters of the orbit of the Vostok-6 satellite are close to the calculated ones. According to preliminary data, the period of revolution of the Vostok-6 satellite around the Earth is 88.3 minutes, the minimum distance from the Earth's surface (at perigee) and the maximum distance (at apogee) are 183 and 233 kilometers, respectively, the angle of inclination of the orbital plane to the plane equator about 65 degrees. Two-way radio communication is continuously maintained with the Vostok-6 spacecraft.

Cosmonaut Comrade Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna satisfactorily endured the launch of the ship into orbit and the transition to a state of weightlessness. Comrade Tereshkova is feeling well.

Cosmonaut comrade. Tereshkova broadcasts on frequencies of 20.006 and 143.625 megahertz. The ship also has a "Signal" transmitter operating at a frequency of 19.995 megahertz. Two-way communication has been established between the Vostok-5 and Vostok-6 spacecraft.

All onboard systems of the Vostok-5 and Vostok-6 spacecraft are functioning normally.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/435/

FUTURE ASTRONAUTS

In August 1962, during the preparations for the launch “toward Venus,” many of my comrades and I first saw in the MIK a flock of thin girls in tunics, about whom we were told that they were future cosmonauts.

There were classes with the girls. They studied the carrier and even got acquainted with the structure of our interplanetary station. When they were brought to our apparatus, the tests of which were practically over, there were many more curious people around than the work required.

Which one will fly first? This question was probably asked by everyone who approached the flea market that formed at the object ready for docking with the carrier. . .

Kirillov, who liked to joke on such occasions, went up to the curious and said almost in a whisper:

Here comes the Queen!

Military and civilian - as the wind blew away! I quickly and incoherently finished my explanations, and when the girls were taken away, I asked Kirillov:

Where is the SP?

It was I who launched the "duck" to catch up with fear. It was inconvenient in the presence of girls to disperse respected people with rude shouts.

But the Queen is not at the training ground. He is in Moscow. According to my information, he is even in the hospital.

That's all the more! I checked that the reflex worked, Sergei Pavlovich was not there, but the procedures he had established were in effect: do not gather more than three without the need.

On August 25, 8K78 launched with AMS 2MB-1 No. 3. Five girls, having first admired the start of the "seven" from the observation veranda of IP-1, left the site and departed "for further service."

Of these five, Valentina Tereshkova is destined to become the first woman in the world to visit near-Earth space. The rest will never fly into space.

In April 1963, they finally agreed on a group flight of a man and a woman. On the male candidacy, without any particular contradictions, they came to an agreement: Bykovsky with an understudy Volynov. Passions boiled around women's candidates. Korolev, teaming up with Gagarin, persuaded Tyulin and Mrykin to support Tereshkova. The Academy of Sciences represented by Keldysh and Marshal Rudenko defended Ponomarev, offering Tereshkova an understudy.

In May, the chief designers already reported to the State Commission, which was chaired by Tyulin, about the readiness of all systems, and it was not yet known under whose figure to prepare a chair in the ship. Finally, it was decided to go to the TsPK and make the final choice there. Korolev with Bushuev, Keldysh, Tyulin, Mrykin, Rudenko, Kamanin gathered at the CTC and there they decided in favor of Tereshkova. At the same time, they decided to kill two birds with one stone: Bykovsky must establish new record in terms of flight duration - eight days, Tereshkova can fly no more than three.

On the morning of June 4, a business meeting of the State Commission was held, and in the evening - a "show-off" meeting for filming and sound recording. Major Bykovsky and junior lieutenant Tereshkova were approved as commanders of the ships.

Not without male, not subject to sound recording, comments.

You look how Tereshkova blossomed. A year ago I was an inconspicuous girl, and now a real movie star, - said Isaev, who was sitting next to me.

It flies, it won’t happen yet, ”I answered, and we both knocked on wooden chairs.

True, after looking closer, they decided that Ponomareva also "looks good." But she did not shine, like Tereshkova, she was seemingly overly serious, but it seemed to me that she was simply offended by a woman, that she remained an understudy.

B.E. Chertok. Rockets and people

"Seagull" IN SPACE

Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna - pilot of the spacecraft (KK) "Vostok-6", pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR No. 6; the first woman cosmonaut of the planet Earth, the 10th cosmonaut of the world.

She was born on March 6, 1937 in the village of Maslennikovo, Tutaevsky district, Yaroslavl region. Russian. She spent her childhood and youth in Yaroslavl. In 1953 she graduated from 7 classes high school No. 32 of the city of Yaroslavl, in 1955 - 8th and 9th grades of the school of working youth No. 10 of the city of Yaroslavl. From July 27, 1954 to April 12, 1955, she worked as a bracelet maker at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant in workshop No. 5, from June 2, 1955, she worked as a rover at the Krasny Perekop industrial fabric factory of Yaroslavl Order of Lenin in the tape workshop. Since 1959, she went in for parachuting at the Yaroslavl flying club, performed 90 jumps.

In 1960 she graduated from the Yaroslavl Correspondence College of Light Industry with a degree in cotton spinning technology. After graduating from a technical school, she trained in the mechanical repair shop of factory No. 2. From August 11, 1960 to March 1962, she was the released secretary of the Komsomol committee of the Krasny Perekop plant.

IN Soviet army since March 1962.

On March 12, 1962, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force No. 67, she was enlisted in the cosmonaut corps of the Air Force CPC. was appointed senior group female listeners. From March 12 to November 1962, she underwent general space training, during which she performed 21 flights on Il-14, Uti MiG-15 aircraft, as well as 44 parachute jumps.

From January to May 25, 1963, she was preparing for the flight to the spacecraft (KK) Vostok-6 under the women's flight program as part of a group together with I. Solovyova, V. Ponomareva, Zh. Yorkina. She was designated as the prime candidate for the flight.

On June 16-19, 1963, she made a space flight as a pilot of the Vostok-6 spacecraft lasting 2 days 22 hours 50 minutes. It was the first flight of a female astronaut in the world!

The launch of the Vostok-6 spacecraft was carried out while the Vostok-5 spacecraft, piloted by cosmonaut V.F., was in orbit. Bykovsky.

During the flight, a large amount of medical and biological research was carried out, as well as further development and improvement of manned spacecraft systems under joint flight conditions.

On June 16, 1963, by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force No. 0502, military rank"lieutenant". On the same day, by order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR No. 149, he was awarded the extraordinary military rank of "captain".

For the successful implementation of the flight and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 22, 1963, Captain Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 11135).

After the space flight V.V. Tereshkova continued to be trained in the cosmonaut corps, but most of her time began to take social work, in connection with which she had to make many trips to the cities of the USSR and to many countries of the world. At the end of 1963, her wedding took place with cosmonaut Andriyan Grigorievich Nikolaev. In 1964, a daughter, Elena, was born in a "space" family. After several years, the marriage broke up.

WELL-BEING IN FLIGHT

During the preparation and conduct of the flights of the Vostok-3 and Vostok-4 spacecraft, the selection and training of female cosmonauts was carried out. The following astronaut candidates were selected:

1. Ponomareva Valentina Leonidovna, had two higher educations: a pilot engineer and an engineer-economist.

2. Solovieva Irina Bayanovna, higher education, skydiver.

3. Sergeychik Zhanna Dmitrievna, higher education, parachutist.

4. Kuznetsova Tatyana Dmitrievna, higher education, parachutist.

5. Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna, weaver of the Yaroslavl manufactory, parachutist.

During the training of women - candidates for cosmonauts on shells, stands and in flight on airplanes, it was found that women in a certain period of the monthly life cycle the physiological resistance to the action of extreme factors of space flight is sharply reduced. A series of medical, physiological studies of the state of the female body in different periods was carried out monthly cycle and its resistance to extreme factors. Female monkeys were delivered from the Sukhumi Monkey Nursery (Institute of Experimental Pathology and Therapy of the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences) to Moscow to IACM. After performing a large series of experiments with the rotation of monkeys on a centrifuge and analyzing the data obtained, it was found that female body the least resistant to the action of extreme environmental factors (accelerations) on the 14-18th day of the monthly cycle, which corresponds to the period of ovulation. From this it follows that the launch of the spacecraft and the descent during this period is undesirable for women. After completing the training and training program for the selected female cosmonaut candidates, they underwent a complete medical and physiological examination. According to the results medical examination and theoretical preparedness of women - candidates for cosmonauts, the following sequence of admission to space flight was determined:

1. Ponomareva Valentina

2. Solovieva Irina

3. Kuznetsova Tatiana

4. Sergeychik Zhanna

5. Tereshkova Valentina.

With the intervention of Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev and the tacit consent of Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, Mstislav Vsevolodovich Keldysh and Nikolai Petrovich Kamanin, contrary to the conclusion of the medical commission, Valentina Tereshkova was identified as cosmonaut No. 1 among women. The decisive role in this was played by the social origin of V. Tereshkova. This, of course, was not the best option selection...

The orbital flight of VV Tereshkova was planned for three days. VV Tereshkova, according to the data of telemetry and television control, endured the flight mostly satisfactorily. Negotiations with ground stations communications were slow. She severely limited her movements. She sat almost motionless. She clearly showed changes in the state of health of a vegetative nature. She did not perform part of the tasks and work on the ship ... The deterioration of VV Tereshkova's condition and the decrease in her efficiency were associated with the adverse effect of weightlessness. V.V. Tereshkova refused my offer to take one tablet of meprobomat (a sedative) from the first-aid kit and said: “Doctor, don’t worry, I will complete the task.” Sergei Pavlovich Korolev, seeing the television image of V.V. Tereshkova, sitting motionless and not completely fulfilling her tasks, demanded that the State Commission stop the flight and begin the descent of the Vostok-6 spacecraft to Earth. Chairman of the State Commission L.V. Smirnov replied that the issue of terminating a flight for medical reasons is the prerogative of the head medical program. After weighing all the pros and cons, I decided to ask State Commission continue flying. Thus, I took full responsibility for the space flight of V.V. Tereshkova lasting three days ...

The flight continued, VV Tereshkova's condition and her performance did not improve. After sleep emotional stress somewhat decreased and very slightly improved the performance of V.V. Tereshkova. Her pulse rate ranged from 58 to 84 beats per minute. Significant fluctuations in heart rate were observed within short intervals of time, the respiratory rate ranged from 16 to 22 per minute ...

Landing of the ships "Vostok-5" and "Vostok-6" took place in the area of ​​Dzhezkazgan in Kazakhstan. Our employee landed in the landing area of ​​V.V. Tereshkova - a doctor, a world record holder in parachuting Lyubov Maznichenko. She protested to Valentina Tereshkova in connection with the violation of the established cosmonaut regime in the area of ​​the spacecraft landing site. Valentina Tereshkova handed out all on-board food supplies from the cosmonaut's diet local residents that surrounded her. She herself drank koumiss and ate the food given to her by the Kazakhs. The cosmonaut's logbook was urgently completed by her at the landing site, and not in flight. Some hygienic order was put in the ship after landing. These actions distorted the true picture at the landing site. Scientists were deprived of the opportunity to objectively assess the condition of V.V. Tereshkova and the condition inside the ship.

During space exploration, more than five hundred people managed to see through the glass of the porthole how endless the expanses of the Universe are. Not only men flew aboard spaceships. Among them were and are female cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia.


Now you will not surprise anyone with flights into space. Of course, they are not yet perceived as a common occurrence, but still there is no such excitement that accompanied the first steps of mankind at the base of the unknown endless starry sky. More than half a century has passed since the first space flight in history. During this time, more than five hundred people managed to see through the glass of the porthole how endless the expanses of the Universe are. Not only men flew aboard spaceships. Among them were and are female cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia.

First in the world

The leadership in this area belongs to one of the most famous people in the world - Valentina Tereshkova. She was born in 1937 in a small village located near Yaroslavl. When she was 22 years old, she became seriously interested in skydiving.


In 1962-1997, she was a member of the female cosmonaut corps. In addition to her, there were 4 more contenders for the flight. I must say that Tereshkova was not the best in terms of endurance and physical training. But the then government decided it was her first to send into space.

There were two reasons that influenced this decision. The first one is origin. Valentina Tereshkova was, as they said at that time, a native of the people. The second reason is attractive appearance, charm and charisma.

Despite the fact that the flight was officially recognized as a success, it was not without difficulties. Tereshkova did not feel well, and the spacesuit was very uncomfortable. Because of this, she was unable to complete all the planned tasks in full. In addition, a number of other technical difficulties were revealed. For example, when assembling the manual control, mistakes were made that almost led to the ship deviating from orbit. But since the automation was on top, the landing went smoothly.

In 1963, Tereshkova received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Besides, she is yet the only woman in the army of the Russian Federation, bearing the military rank of major general.

I must say that all the women from Russia who have been in space have made an invaluable contribution to the development and study of our Universe. But only Valentina Tereshkova, and to this day is the first and only representative of the fair sex, who made a solo flight into Earth's orbit.

First in outer space

The next woman to see space was Svetlana Savitskaya. She was born in 1947 in the family of a marshal and became an astronaut thanks to her strong determination, willpower and high professionalism.


Savitskaya's career began with NPO Vzlyot, where she worked as a test pilot. In 1982, she got into the crew of the Soyuz T-7 spacecraft, where she spent 8 days. And after 2 years she went to outer space, where I spent 3 hours 35 minutes.

Longest flight

The next representative to add to the list of "Women Cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia" was Elena Kondakova. She was born in 1957 in the Moscow region, in the town of Mytishchi. In 1989 she became a candidate for the cosmonaut corps and after special education qualified as a researcher.


Like her two predecessors, Elena Kondakova also became the first - in terms of the duration of her stay in space. Its total duration was almost 179 days. She has two flights on her account: one - in 1994 at the Mir station, the second - in 1997 on the Atlantis spacecraft (shuttle).

Women-cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia are not only researchers outer space but are also actively involved in political life countries. In 1999, Elena Kondakova was elected a deputy to the State Duma.

The new "star woman"

After 17 years, on September 26, 2014, another spacecraft was launched from Baikonur, the crew of which includes Elena Serova. This is her first flight. According to the plan, it should last 170 days and nights.


The fourth female cosmonaut was born in the seaside village of Vozdvizhenka. After graduating from the Moscow aviation institute she was hired by Mission Control. She constantly improved her skills and in 2009 became a test cosmonaut.

Now you will not surprise anyone with flights into space. Of course, they are not yet perceived as a common occurrence, but still there is no such excitement that accompanied the first steps of mankind at the base of the unknown endless starry sky. More than half a century has passed since the first space flight in history. During this time, more than five hundred people managed to see through the glass of the porthole how endless the expanses of the Universe are. Not only men flew on board. Among them were and are female cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia.

First in the world

The championship in this area belongs to one of the most famous personalities in the world - Valentina Tereshkova. She was born in 1937 in a small village located near Yaroslavl. When she was 22 years old, she became seriously interested in skydiving.

In 1962-1997, she was a member of the female cosmonaut corps. In addition to her, there were 4 more contenders for the flight. I must say that Tereshkova was not the best in terms of endurance and physical fitness. But the then government decided it was her first to send into space.

There were two reasons that influenced this decision. The first one is origin. Valentina Tereshkova was, as they said at that time, a native of the people. The second reason is attractive appearance, charm and charisma.

Despite the fact that the flight was officially recognized as a success, it was not without difficulties. Tereshkova did not feel well, and the spacesuit was very uncomfortable. Because of this, she was unable to complete all the planned tasks in full. In addition, a number of other technical difficulties were revealed. For example, when assembling the manual control, mistakes were made that almost led to the ship deviating from orbit. But since the automation was on top, the landing went smoothly.

In 1963, Tereshkova received the rank. In addition, she is so far the only woman in the Russian army who bears the military rank of major general.

I must say that all the women from Russia who have been in space have made an invaluable contribution to the development and study of our Universe. But only Valentina Tereshkova, and to this day is the first and only representative of the fair sex, who made a solo flight into Earth's orbit.

First in outer space

The next woman who saw space was She was born in 1947 in the family of a marshal and became an astronaut due to her strong determination, willpower and high professionalism.

Savitskaya's career began with NPO Vzlyot, where she worked as a test pilot. In 1982, she got into the crew of the Soyuz T-7 spacecraft, where she spent 8 days. And after 2 years she went into outer space, where she stayed for 3 hours 35 minutes.

Longest flight

The next representative to add to the list of “and Russia” was She was born in 1957 in the Moscow region, in the town of Mytishchi. In 1989 she became a candidate for the cosmonaut corps and, after special training, received the qualification of a researcher.

Like her two predecessors, Elena Kondakova also became the first - in terms of the duration of her stay in space. Its total duration was almost 179 days. She has two flights on her account: one - in 1994 at the Mir station, the second - in 1997 on the Atlantis spacecraft (shuttle).

Women cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia are not only space explorers, but also take an active part in the political life of the country. In 1999, Elena Kondakova was elected a deputy to the State Duma.

The new "star woman"

After 17 years, on September 26, 2014, another spacecraft was launched from Baikonur, the crew of which includes This is her first flight. According to the plan, it should last 170 days and nights.

The fourth female cosmonaut was born in the seaside village of Vozdvizhenka. After graduating from the Moscow Aviation Institute, she was taken to work in She constantly improved her skills and in 2009 became a test cosmonaut.

Women cosmonauts of the USSR and Russia are always on top. Their profession requires great courage, strong willpower, as well as the ability not to get confused and cope with any emergency situation.

And while the list of female cosmonauts from our compatriots is small, they have everything ahead of them. After all, there is still a lot of mysterious and unknown that is fraught with a truly endless universe.

More than half a century has passed since Gagarin's flight into space. Dozens of men have been in orbit, but only three Russian women. The reasons are called different: from physiology to the characteristics of the profession

A woman in a spacesuit against the background of the Russian flag looks seriously into the camera. There is an inscription next to the photo: “Serova Elena Olegovna. Has no space flight experience. Next - avaricious personal data.

In two years, this inscription on the website of the Cosmonaut Training Center (CTC) will probably be changed. 35-year-old Elena Serova is to become the fourth Russian woman to have been in orbit in the history of astronautics. At the end of 2011, she was officially enrolled in the crew that will go to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014. After an almost twenty-year break, Russia is preparing to send the fair sex into space again.

Three women in half a century

Serova is the only woman in the Russian cosmonaut corps. The remaining 38 are men. “There have always been fewer women than men in the cosmonaut corps,” says Irina Rogova, spokeswoman for the TsPK located in Star City near Moscow. More than half a century has passed since the flight of the first cosmonaut in the world, Yuri Gagarin, on April 12, 1961. During this time, dozens of Soviet and Russian cosmonauts and only three women.

Valentina Tereshkova is best known in the world - the first woman in the world to have been in space. Her flight took place in 1963. Tereshkova remained the only female cosmonaut in the USSR for almost 20 years, until Svetlana Savitskaya went into orbit in the early 1980s. The third and so far the last Russian woman to have been in space was Elena Kondakova in 1994.

“There is nothing for women to do there”

Reasons why cosmonautics remains in Russia male profession are called different. “Even the flight of the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova, showed that this is not a woman’s business,” she says. former colleague, the legend of the Soviet cosmonautics Alexei Leonov. Tereshkova did have health problems during her flight, but the public found out about it much later. According to Leonov, it is harder for women to be in space than for men: “This is due to physiology.” Leonov is skeptical: "Especially (for women - Ed.) There is nothing to do there, this is not a women's business."

The fact that there are many women among the US astronauts, Leonov explains the peculiarities of the American reusable spacecraft, whose flights ceased in 2011. “During the launch, the shuttle has a small load, and the landing is like that of an airplane,” says Leonov. According to him, in Russian ships Soyuz is less comfortable flying into orbit and back to Earth. In addition, Leonov notes, the shuttles flew into space for one to two weeks, which, in his opinion, was easier for women to endure. At the International space station cosmonauts and astronauts are on average from several months to six months. Now six people work on the ISS: three Russians, two Americans and a Dutchman. There are no women among them.

Almost equal conditions

“In fact, women tolerate weightlessness perfectly, examples of this are long stay American women astronauts on the ISS,” says CPC spokeswoman Irina Rogova. According to her, there are no restrictions on recruiting astronauts. “For the fairer sex who want to fly into space, there will be concessions only in the field of physical training,” says Rogova. According to her, the standards for men and women differ slightly. So, a man must run a distance of one kilometer in at least 3 minutes and 36 seconds, and a woman in 3 minutes and 50 seconds.

Rogova believes that Russian women do not go into astronautics because of the peculiarities of the profession. From January to the end of April 2012, the CTC conducts a recruitment of those wishing to become an astronaut. According to the press service, only 11 out of 225 applications were filed by women. “Those who apply to the cosmonaut corps really understand that they will have to deal with complex equipment, and therefore people with an engineering education initially come,” says Rogova. However, according to her, there are fewer women engineers than men in all countries, not just in Russia.

Lack of seats

But there is another reason that the Federal Space Agency Roscosmos does not like to talk about. Compared to the American shuttles, whose crews consisted of seven people, only three can fly on the Russian Soyuz. And after Russia began to actively sell space in ships to foreign astronauts and space tourists in the 1990s, the ability to send its cosmonauts was sharply limited. There was simply no room for them.

So, Nadezhda Kuzhelnaya in the 1990s was supposed to be the fourth Russian woman to have been in space. But it didn't work out. As the Russian press wrote, commercial cosmonautics blocked the way to space for Kuzhelnaya and many others. Kuzhelnaya left the cosmonaut corps, but her dream of independent flights nevertheless came true. Today she works as a civil aircraft pilot.

Elena Serova still has a chance to fly into space. Four crews a year are sent to the ISS from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Russian ships. According to the press secretary of the CPC Rogova, places are scheduled for years to come, and there is “no competition” between men and the only woman in the cosmonaut corps.