Soyuz 34 launched 1979

Soyuz 34, launched June 6, 1979, was an unmanned spacecraft sent to supply the Salyut 6's resident crew after Soyuz 33 suffered engine failure.  Soyuz 34 returned to Earth on August 19, bringing Vladimir Lyakhov and Valery Ryumin home.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Valery Ryumin!

Valery Ryumin, born August 16, 1939 in the former Soviet Union, is a veteran of three Soyuz missions and one Space Shuttle flight.

His first mission into space was aboard Soyuz 25 in October 1977 as Flight Engineer.  It was the first mission to new Salyut 6, but after five attempts failed at engaging docking latches, the trip was aborted.  This led to a new rule such that every crew had to have at least one non-rookie on board.

His second flight was aboard Soyuz 32 to Salyut 6, launched in February 1979.  Although he and Commander Vladimir Lyakhov docked successfully, the visiting crew did not. The Soviets decided to have Soyuz 32 returned to Earth with no one aboard, to serve as a replacement vehicle.  They returned to Earth on Soyuz 34 in August.

Just eight months later, Ryumin was back in space aboard Soyuz 35 to Salyut 6. He spent 185 days in space, setting a new record for the time.  He returned to Earth October 1980 on Soyuz 37.

His final mission into space was aboard Discovery (STS-91) in June 1998.  It was the final Space Shuttle mission to the Mir space Station.

He is married to fellow cosmonaut Yelena Kondakova.