The domestic history of space exploration is full of heroes. One of them is Pavel Vladimirovich Vinogradov. He began his journey in the distant Chukotka and hardly even dared to hope that he would once fly into space. But fate decreed otherwise. This man flew into orbit three times and went out into outer space 7 times.
Childhood and learning
Pavel Vladimirovich Vinogradov was born in Magadan in 1953 in the family of an accountant and engineer. Actual growth took place in Chukotka. There, the future astronaut graduated from high school. In 1970, he went to work as an apprentice turner and rose to the 2nd rank. By 1977, he was educated in the field of drug production, and by 1980 he completed his studies at MAI.
Job
Pavel Vladimirovich Vinogradov has been working as an engineer since 1978 and at the same time participates in tests related to the Buran program. By 1992, he was gradually growing in his posts and ultimately took the place of the head of the sector of the Energy Research and Production Association.
In the course of his work, he paid much attention to the procedure for practicing the actions of space expedition members of such ships as the Buran and Soyuz TM. In addition, he also participated in the development of automatic systems intended for the training of crews, prepared launches of spacecraft, and even worked on a docking station. Extensive knowledge in various fields allowed the hero to become who he is.
Space training
Pavel Vladimirovich Vinogradov got into the program in 1992. Until 1994, he underwent the required training, which is mandatory for everyone who goes into space. Further, by 1995, he had learned to fly and parachute, was trained in the hydrolaboratory, trained to fly in zero gravity, and even learned to survive. Ultimately, having passed all the standards and tests, this person received the status of a test cosmonaut.
Since 1995, the future cosmonaut Vinogradov receives a position in one of the squads. In the same year he was transferred to the second crew of the Euromir-95 group and was trained for the position of flight engineer. Ultimately, he becomes one of the crew of the backup staff. Until 1997, he managed to be part of another space group and even almost flew, but the illness of the immediate commander prevented him.
Flying
Finally, the first start was made. This happened in 1997, when a cosmonaut detachment, which included Pavel Vladimirovich, went into orbit on Soyuz TM-26 under the command of Anatoly Solovyov. Departing on August 5, already on the 7th, they docked with the Mir station. In September, it replaced the American contingent, which was produced by their shuttle. The astronaut Vinogradov observed another such apparatus in January 1998, when US citizens were again changed. And literally a few days later, in the same month, the domestic Soyuz arrived, the crew of which replaced the team. It included our hero.
For all the time spent at the station, Pavel Vladimirovich was in space for more than 197 days. Moreover, he left the board of the World 5 times and spent more than 25 hours outside the artificial orbital body. Somewhat later, Vinogradov was trained on a spaceship of a different type. And not just like that, but as a crew commander.
Commander
“Soyuz TMA-08M” - that was the name of the ship on which Pavel finally made his first flight in 2013 as a leader. By that time, Vinogradov had already turned 59 years old, and he had become the oldest man from Russia to fall into space. Among other things, in the same flight, an innovative docking system was first produced, which reduced the connection time of the ship with the station to only 6 hours. The squad of astronauts, despite numerous training in training conditions, immediately correctly performed all the actions, which greatly simplified such procedures in the future.
Other
In 2014, the hero of our article could potentially be part of the next expedition, but later preliminary information was not confirmed. Vinogradov’s biography is very diverse. So, in 1999, he became vice president in the Cosmonautics Federation, and in 2003 he took up politics, becoming a deputy in one of the districts of Moscow.
In the same year, he tried to get into the State Duma, but failed. The second attempt, made in 2009, was also unsuccessful. Among other things, Vinogradov was engaged in swimming and freestyle wrestling, having received the 2nd category in both disciplines and many awards from both Russia and NASA. He is fond of Pavel Vladimirovich astronomy (which is quite logical), the history of space and aviation, as well as various sports. He is a multilaterally developed person, capable of achieving success in any undertaking.
A family
The mother of the famous astronaut, Lidia Safronovna Vinogradova, worked almost all her life as an accountant and has now retired. His father, Vladimir Pavlovich, who previously worked as an engineer, enjoys a well-deserved rest. It is possible that it was thanks to him that the cosmonaut Vinogradov decided to do what is now known. He also has a brother, Evgeny Vladimirovich. He found himself not in the space but in the underworld and now works as a master depot in Moscow.
Pavel Vladimirovich’s wife, Irina Valentinovna, works in RSC Energia as an engineer, so there are definitely common topics in the family. In addition, he has three children - two from his first marriage, Roman and Victoria, and another girl Catherine - from the second. Now she is studying at the Lyceum with a physical and mathematical bias, so it is quite possible to follow in the footsteps of her parents.
