Leonid Ivanovich Popov is a Soviet cosmonaut who twice became a Hero of the Soviet Union. In addition to flying into space, he has other achievements that have become significant for the global aerospace industry.
Childhood, adolescence
Leonid Popov was born on August 31, 1945 in the village of Alexandria, Kirovograd region. He was an ordinary Soviet boy. Eight children were growing up in the family. Leonid's father worked as a collective farm chairman and really wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. He knew that even in times of famine, he could survive by working on the land. But Leonid wanted to achieve something different in life. He was very fond of exact sciences and sat in physics lessons as if spellbound. This influenced the choice of his future specialty. After school, he decided to enter a military school, but did not enter the first time. For a whole year he worked as a worker at a factory and at the same time was preparing for the entrance exams.
In 1968 he graduated from the Chernigov Higher Military School, becoming an engineer pilot. After graduation, he got a job as an instructor pilot at the military institute of the city of Armavir.
Cosmonaut career
The prospect of working as a pilot engineer all his life did not attract Popov, and he decided to conquer new heights. In 1970, Leonid Ivanovich completed a full training course on board the Soyuz spacecraft and orbital stations as part of general space training. In 1976 he graduated from the Yuri Gagarin Air Force Academy. He studied in absentia.
In 1980, Popov made his first long flight into space. On the Soyuz-35 spacecraft and subsequent stay at the Soyuz-6 orbital station. The total flight duration is 185 days. During this time, several international expeditions visited the orbital station. For courage and courage, Leonid Popov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
The first flight was record-breaking in duration. After him, the astronaut was recovering for a very long time. He performed special exercises to develop the musculoskeletal system. It was difficult for him to get used to normal food. At the orbital station, the cosmonauts were fed from tubes.
Popov's second flight into space took place in 1981. He headed the flight of the Soviet-Romanian crew. The duration of the stay in space is 7 days. Upon his return to earth, the cosmonaut was presented with several awards.
The third flight of Leonid Ivanovich took place in 1982 on the Soyuz T-7 spacecraft. He was in space for 7 days. From 1982 to 1987 Popov worked as an instructor-cosmonaut at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. According to his contemporaries, he succeeded in this business and perfectly prepared specialists for flights.
In 1987, Leonid Ivanovich entered the Military Academy of the General Staff. In this regard, he was expelled from the cosmonaut corps.
Leonid Popov was awarded several honorary titles:
- Hero of the Soviet Union (1980 and 1981);
- Hero of Cuba (1980);
- Hero of the Socialist Republic of Romania (1981).
The great cosmonaut was awarded many medals and orders:
- Medal for Merit in Space Exploration (2011);
- three Orders of Lenin (1980, 1981 and 1982);
- Order of Freedom (1981).
In 1990, Popov was awarded the rank of Major General of Aviation. Since 1989, Leonid Ivanovich worked at the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, and then at the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. He was engaged in the supply of aviation equipment, was in charge of the Main Department of Orders. In 1995 Popov retired.
Leonid Popov has other achievements not related to flying. His inventions are still used today. Popov invented the escape hatch of the rescue vehicle, as well as a mechanism for quickly opening and closing the canopy of the aircraft cockpit. There were other discoveries related to aviation technology.
In the city of Chernigov, on the territory of the higher educational institution in which the cosmonaut was trained, his bust was installed. The leadership of the military school is proud that many years ago Leonid Ivanovich became a graduate of this university.
A monument to the great cosmonaut has been erected in Alexandria. The central square of the city is also called Popov square, but the name is not official. There is also a museum in Alexandria dedicated to this man. Leonid Ivanovich himself is an honorary citizen of the city. His sister recalls that earlier, when Leonid Ivanovich's mother was alive, pioneers often came, helped with the housework, they could even dig up a vegetable garden. But in the past couple of decades, not all schoolchildren know who Leonid Popov is. The astronaut is respected in Cuba and every year the government invites him to rest.
Personal life
Leonid Ivanovich Popov grew up in a large and very close-knit family. Almost all of the astronaut's brothers and sisters are gone, but he still communicates with his sister, maintaining warm relations.
Leonid Ivanovich was married to Valentina Alekseevna, but was widowed early. In a marriage with his only wife, a daughter, Elena, and a son, Alexei, were born. But the children of the great cosmonaut did not want to continue their father's work. They chose economics. Only Popov's grand-nephew is studying at the Engineering and Space University of the Russian Federation.
Leonid Ivanovich currently lives in one of the cities near Moscow. Despite his age, he maintains good shape and remains true to himself. Popov loves to do everything with his own hands and invent something new that can be useful on the farm.
