Happy birthday, cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko!

Yuri (Yury? Whatever.) Romanenko, born August 1, 1944 in the former Soviet Union, is a cosmonaut and a veteran of three missions to space. 

His first trip was aboard Soyuz 26 to Salyut 6 in December 1977.  During this mission, he performed an EVA, lasting one and a half hours.

His second trip was with Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez on Soyuz 38 in December 1980, to Salyut 6, but remained on board for only 7 days.

His third and final mission was on Soyuz TM-2 in February 1987 to the Mir space station.  He spent 326 days aboard Mir, which was a record back then.  He also conducted 3 EVA for a total of 8 hours, 48 minutes.   He returned to Earth on Soyuz TM-3 in December 1987.

He retired from flights in 1988 to become the director of the Buran program, which was cancelled in 1993.

His son Roman, born August 9, 1971, is also a cosmonaut and commanded Soyuz TMA-15.

Happy birthday, Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez!

Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez, born January 29, 1942 in Guantanamo, Cuba, is the first Cuban citizen in space and the first person from a Western Hemisphere country besides the U.S. to travel into space.

He joined the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces wanting to become a pilot.  He received training in aerial comb at in the Soviet Union.  He was selected as a cosmonaut March 1, 1978 with fellow Cuban Jose Lopez Falcon.

Tamayo launched into space aboard Soyuz 38 with Yuri Romanenko, September 18, 1980.  His journey into space lasted almost 8 days.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month - Arnaldo Tamayo-Mendez, first Cuban in space

On the 37th anniversary of his launch aboard Soyuz 38, I celebrate Arnaldo Tamayo-Mendez, first Cuban in space.  So, he was a cosmonaut, not an astronaut but things hadn't been too cozy between Cuba and the U.S.

He was selected to join the Intercosmos program in 1978 and trained for two and a half years with fellow Cuban Jose Lopez Falcon.

On September 18, 1980, Tamayo-Mendez and cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko launched aboard Soyuz 38 and docked with Salyut 6, where they spent a little over a week, conducting scientific experiments.  They returned to Earth September 26.

He is the first person to receive the Hero of the Republic of Cuba.  Tamayo-Mendez also received the Order of Lenin and named Hero of the Soviet Union

Arnaldo Tamayo-Mendéz, first Cuban in space

Arnaldo Tamayo-Mendez became the first Cuban into space September 18, 1980.  He blasted off in Soyuz 38 with fellow cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko and cocked with Salyut 6.  After almost 8 days in space, they returned to Earth, making a night landing.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a video of Mr. Tamayo-Mendez in English.