Cosmonaut Pavel Popovich born 1930

Pavel Popovich, born October 5, 1930, went into space during the early years of the Soviet space program. 

His first flight was on Vostok 4 in August 1962.  It was the first time two cosmonauts were in space at the same time, in different spacecraft.  Fellow cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev was aboard Vostok 3, having launched the day before Popovich. 

His second and final flight was aboard Soyuz 14 as commander in July 1974 with Yuri Artyukhin to Salyut 3. It was also the only flight to the space station since Soyuz 15 failed to dock, and then Salyut 3 was deorbited in January 1975.

Popovich died in September 2009 after suffering a stroke.

Cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev born 1929

Cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev, born September 5, 1929 in the former Soviet Union, went into space twice. 

His first mission was aboard Vostok 3, a solo flight during which he spent 4 days in space in August 1962.

His second mission was aboard Soyuz 9 as commander in June 1970. He spent 17 days in space with fellow cosmonaut Vitaly Sevastyanov.

He passed away from a heart attack in 2004.

Cosmonaut Vitaly Sevastyanov born 1935

Vitaly Sevastyanov, born July 8, 1935 in the former Soviet Union, was a veteran of two Soyuz missions.

His first flight into space was aboard Soyuz 9 as flight engineer in June 1970.  His almost 18 day mission with fellow cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev paved the way for future Salyut missions.

His second and final trip into space was aboard Soyuz 18 as flight engineer to Salyut 4 with fellow cosmonaut Pyotr Kilmuk.  They were the second and final crew aboard the space station.

He passed away in April 2010 in Moscow, Russia.

Soyuz 9 launched 1970

Soyuz 9 crew (L-R): Andrian Nikolayev, Vitaly Sevastyanov

Soyuz 9, launched June 1, 1970, was a two-man mission that lasted 18 days, breaking the record set by Gemini VII about 5 years before.  Its crew consisted of Commander Andriyan Nikolayev and Flight Engineer Vitaly Sevastyanov.

To conserve attitude control gas, Soyuz 9 was placed in a "spin-stabilization mode" which made the crew dizzy and space sick.  Upon their return to Earth June 19, they needed help exiting the landing module and were not able to walk for several days.

Vostok 4 launched 1962

August 12, 1962, cosmonaut Pavel Popovich blasted off in Vostok 4, just one day after Andriyan Nikolayev launched in Vostok 3.  Having two men in space in different spacecraft at the same time was a huge step for the Soviets in the space race.

Popovich stayed in space just under 3 days, orbiting Earth 48 times.  His flight was terminated early when a misunderstanding by ground control who thought Popovich used a codeword asking to end his flight ahead of schedule.

He landed about 7 minutes after Nikolayev and about 200km away.  Like Nikolayev, Popovich ejected from his spacecraft and parachuted to Earth separately.

Vostok 3 launched 1962

To further test the effect of microgravity on the human body, Vostok 3, carrying cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev, was launched August 11, 1962.   Nikolayev spent 4 days in space orbiting Earth 64 times before returning August 15. During his first day in space, Nikolayev unstrapped himself from his seat and floated freely, the first time a human had done this.

August 15, Nikolayev, the third cosmonaut in space, returned to Earth but he ejected from the spacecraft and landed separately.