"What space is, neither we nor even Korolev knew."
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union pilot-cosmonaut Boris Volynov was preparing for a landing on the Moon. This he reported in an interview with Izvestia. The conversation with the participant of the first recruitment to the group of cosmonauts took place on the threshold of his 90th anniversary. He also told about how to carry out the docking of spacecraft at a speed of 8 km / s, how to properly take food in weightlessness and about the relationship with Yuri Gagarin.
"You will fly higher and faster than on an airplane, but there is a big risk"
- Boris Valentinovich, when you were offered to fly on new equipment, you were warned about the danger, but you quickly agreed. What is the reason for this?
- Let's start with the fact that we didn't really know where we were going. One day a group came to the unit, and I was called to the commander. They said: "We want to offer you a new job, you will fly higher and faster than by airplane, but there is a big risk". I said, "I agree." Then they ask if I want to think about it, consult? I replied that I had already signed a non-disclosure agreement, so there was no one to consult.
I was a fighter pilot, and in this profession you have to think fast. If you can think in time, you'll live, if not, I'm sorry, you'll end up on the other side of the world.
USSR pilot-cosmonauts in training. Georgy Shonin (left), Boris Volynov (center), Andriyan Nikolayev (right), 1966.
- When you joined the cosmonaut squadron, what were your emotions?
- When we arrived at the assembly point, the colonel came, told me that there is a new technique, it must be mastered. He explained that it was a difficult job. For example, at that moment I had performed only three parachute jumps, and I had to master these skills at the level of an instructor. Everyone who came was offered to give up, but no one took this opportunity.
During the training, everything was new, which had not been encountered before. What is space - did not know neither we, nor those who taught. Even Sergei Korolev, who only assumed, but did not fully imagine. At the same time, everyone realized that it was a risky business. We trained our will. Everyone wanted to prove that they could cope with the task at hand.
Soyuz 4-5, Soyuz 6 flight preparation. Georgy Shonin (left) and Boris Volynov (right) in training, 1969
- You took a talisman on space flights. Has it survived?
- Yes. It's a little bear - my family gave it to me as a present. It is very cute, smiling, shaggy and - what is important! - light, it could fit into any baggage. I often carried him behind my shin.
Mishka flew into space twice. In the ship he hung on a string over the instruments and served as an indicator of weightlessness.
"Every movement depended on the position of the ship."
- Tell us about your first flight in January 1969, how it went.
- In the flight, the Soyuz-4 and Soyuz-5 spacecrafts had to perform docking in space for the first time in the world. Can you imagine, at a speed of 8 km/s, to approach another vehicle and connect with it.
Cosmonaut Boris Volynov in the cabin of the Soyuz-5 spacecraft, January 16, 1969
At that time there was no experience or technique of controlling vehicles in orbit, only on simulators. Nevertheless, the ships came close, then carefully came closer. Evgeny Khrunov and Alexey Eliseev watched the instruments, and I held the control knobs.
The position of the ship depended on every movement. When 30 meters remained, the Soyuz-4 reported that they were low on fuel. Therefore, our crew was responsible for the maneuver. But they did everything carefully, and the docking happened safely.
- And what happened then?
- Khrunov and Eliseev had to make the transition from ship to ship through open space. There were enough emotions! For example, when the guys were in the orbital compartment , dressed in spacesuits, their blood pressure and pulse rate were higher than allowed. It was a violation of regulations to release them in that condition. But as the ship's commander - based on personal experience - I made the decision to continue the operation.
The next incident occurred when Khrunov, halfway between the ships, stopped and announced that the ventilator in the spacesuit was not working. According to the rules, you have to go back. But no one wanted to abandon the mission. There was silence. However, the cosmonaut managed. He found that he himself with a hose turned off the fan. Turning it on, Khrunov safely reached the "Soyuz-4".
- Then during descent your ship went on an uncalculated trajectory. Despite the extreme overloads and the risk of death, you made log entries. Why?
- Because I thought I had to, that's all! We were pioneers. No one had ever flown into space before, except dogs and dummies! No one knew how to deal with extreme situations in space. So I wrote down everything so that if I died, my experience and knowledge would help others to avoid a catastrophe.
The crew of the Salyut-5 station Boris Volynov (left) and Vitaly Zholobov (right) during a televised communication session, July 19, 1976.
In general, it was not only about extreme situations. We did everything for the first time. For example, we learned how to take food properly when it doesn't fit in your mouth by itself. You're chewing and your mouth is weightless. You could choke, and that would be the end of the journey.
- The first journey into space was a thorny one. How did you decide to go a second time?
- I was eager to go into space, but they held me back for a long time. For example, once there was a question of who should fly into orbit above 400 kilometers. At that time it was supposed that there was a high level of radiation there and the organism might not be able to withstand it. I immediately agreed to such a flight, but the leaders decided not to risk it.
Probably, the long wait increased the craving for space. Therefore, it was easier to agree to the second flight, despite the fact that the first almost ended in tragedy. Although German Titov, for example, refused the second flight.
"The moon to some extent feared - as well as all the unknown"
- In the summer of 1976, during your stay on "Salyut-5", the instruments turned off and the light went out. Can you tell us how you managed to keep your composure?
- Actually, there are failures in equipment, in electronics. You just have to be ready for them to prevent negative consequences.
Pilot-cosmonaut Boris Volynov during a training session at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, July 1, 1976.
In general, of course, it was hard. A lot has already been written about it. But we coped and came out of the emergency situation safely. So there is not much to tell.
- How hard it was - you were an understudy eight times.
- It was emotionally difficult. I know cases when people in such situations could not stand it and left the cosmonaut squad. But I'm stubborn. This quality helped me to overcome myself.
I think the reason for my stubbornness is that I come from Siberia, from Kuzbass. There were living conditions that hardened my character. My childhood, most of which took place in the war and post-war years, played its part.
- Were you preparing for flights to the Moon?
- Yes, we did. Unfortunately, we did not make it to the satellite. Although the preparations were intense. We planned to first fly around the Moon and then land on its surface. In particular, during training we learned to move in conditions similar to lunar gravity.
To simulate the force of gravity six times less than on Earth, created suspensions that compensated for the weight of the body, and walked on an inclined surface. So they were seriously preparing for the trip. They also discussed the idea of flying to other planets, but there was no real preparation for such expeditions.
Boris Volynov (left) and Vitaly Zhelobov (right) in the assembly and test building of the cosmodrome, 1976
The moon was feared to some extent - like everything unknown. To feel what I am talking about, jump from an airplane from 3 thousand meters. While you are flying (until the parachute opens), you will be able to experience the emotions of loneliness, uncertainty, the feeling of near death. So you can imagine what kind of tasks we were preparing for.
- In the 1960s you studied at the Zhukovsky Academy. What was your scientific work on?
- In particular, we were designing how to arrange the instrument panel in the cabin of a spaceship. What instruments, buttons to place on it and how to make it more convenient and functional.
In general, it is difficult to tell about this period in two words. There were many new, unknown things. Often, we turned to scientists to explain, but they only spread their hands. We had to figure it out on our own. But it was interesting, because new things are always interesting!
- Did you consider the possibility of taking part in the orbital aircraft test program?
- In the course of my work, I often had to test various equipment. Such tasks were also discussed. But in this case we needed not fighter pilots, but professional testers. They were given priority when candidates were selected.
First cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin before the flight, 1961
- What kind of relationship did you have with Yuri Gagarin?
- Wonderful. For example, when the first brick houses were built in Star City, Yuri offered me to live next door. Since then we lived in neighboring apartments. When he was shouting on the phone in his office (communication was poor at that time), I could hear everything.
If he had not died, many things in our cosmonautics could have been different.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
