Vladimir Alekseyevich Solovyov

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Vladimir Alekseyevich Solovyov is a renowned Russian cosmonaut born on November 11, 1946. He was handpicked as a cosmonaut on December 1, 1978, and embarked on an illustrious career in space exploration. Solovyov's remarkable journey began with his first flight aboard Soyuz T-10 on February 8, 1984, where he joined the crew of Salyut 7. The crew spent a staggering ten months conducting extensive medical and manufacturing experiments in space. Upon completion of their mission, they safely landed aboard Soyuz T-11 on October 2, 1984. Solovyov's second flight was an equally historic event, as he commanded Soyuz T-15, which took off on March 13, 1986. This mission marked a significant milestone in space exploration, as the crew transferred vital equipment from Salyut-7 to the newly launched Mir space station. Solovyov and his crew made history by becoming the last crew aboard Salyut-7 and the first aboard Mir. Following his illustrious career as a cosmonaut, Solovyov took on the esteemed role of Mir flight director at Russian Mission Control for several years. He later retired on February 18, 1994, but was called back to lead the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS). Today, Solovyov is married and proud father of two children. Solovyov's remarkable contributions to space exploration have been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including: Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, awarded on October 2, 1984, and July 16, 1986; Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR; Order of Honour (Russian Federation); Order of Friendship (Russian Federation); Two Orders of Lenin (USSR); Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (Russian Federation); Knight of the Legion of Honour (France); Kirti Chakra (India).