Svetlana Savitskaya

Svetlana Savitskaya is a retired Soviet cosmonaut and test pilot who became the second woman to fly in space and the first woman to perform a spacewalk. Her pioneering career, which spanned the height of the Space Race, was marked by numerous aviation and spaceflight records. She flew on two missions to the Salyut 7 space station and later served as a deputy in the State Duma.

Early life and education

Born on August 8, 1948, in Moscow, she was the daughter of famed World War II fighter ace and Marshal of Aviation Yevgeny Savitsky. Inspired by her father, she began parachute training at age 16 and made her first jump at 17. She studied at the Moscow Aviation Institute, graduating in 1972 as a certified flight instructor. Concurrently, she trained at the Central Aeroclub in Tushino, setting world records in parachuting and aerobatics before becoming a test pilot.

Aviation career

After graduation, Savitskaya worked as a flight instructor and joined the Soviet national aerobatic team in 1970. Competing in the World Aerobatic Championships in Britain, she won the world title. She later became a test pilot for the Yakovlev design bureau, flying over 20 different types of aircraft, including the MiG-21 and MiG-25. Her expertise and record-setting performances in aviation directly led to her selection for the Soviet space program.

Spaceflight career

Selected for cosmonaut training in 1980 as part of the second female cosmonaut group, her first mission was as a research cosmonaut on Soyuz T-7 in 1982. Docking with the Salyut 7 station, she became the second woman in space after Valentina Tereshkova. Her second and most historic flight was on Soyuz T-12 in 1984. During this mission, she conducted a 3-hour, 35-minute spacewalk outside Salyut 7 with cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov, becoming the first woman to do so. She used specialized tools to perform welding, cutting, and soldering experiments.

Post-spaceflight activities and legacy

After her spaceflights, Savitskaya served as a deputy head of the NPO Energia design bureau and was a prominent figure in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Following the dissolution of the USSR, she entered politics, being elected as a deputy to the State Duma from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, a position she held for multiple terms. Her legacy is that of a trailblazer who broke significant gender barriers in both aviation and space exploration, inspiring future generations of female pilots and astronauts in Russia and worldwide.

Awards and honors

Savitskaya's achievements have been recognized with numerous high state honors. She was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and received the Order of Lenin on both occasions. She also holds the Order of the Badge of Honour and the UNESCO-sponsored Gold Space Medal. An asteroid, 4118 Sveta, is named in her honor, and she is an honorary citizen of several cities, including Kaluga and Vitebsk. Category:Soviet cosmonauts Category:Female astronauts Category:Test pilots Category:Heroes of the Soviet Union Category:Recipients of the Order of Lenin