Biography of cosmonaut Grechko Grigory Mikhailovich, space flights, awards and titles

A brave explorer and a reliable comrade - this is what a cosmonaut, twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, Georgy Grechko, appears before our eyes. Biography will impress anyone, because it can rightfully be called a fantastic person.

Georgy Grechko

In the hope of finding traces of extraterrestrial beings, they were investigated along and across the Tungus taiga, the sands of the Sinai Peninsula and the pyramids of Egypt. They were flown three times to the orbital station, in one of which he set a record time of man's stay in open outer space. In his honor the planet was named.

Few people know that the first long-awaited flight could be the last for the cosmonaut - his life hung in the balance. The doctors shrugged their shoulders and were not sure that the patient would live. His chances were zero. But the pilot-cosmonaut was stronger than the circumstances - George quickly got to his feet and continued as if nothing had happened to prepare for the next flight. He could not get off so quickly, because it meant losing. But fate has more than once tested the astronaut for strength. He repeatedly drowned, almost was killed by an enemy bullet, crashed on a motorcycle and caught fire, being at the orbital station. But, despite all this, Georgy Grechko never lost optimism and faith in the best. He constantly believed and believed in his star and guardian angel, which, according to the astronaut himself, had already repeatedly saved him.

Childhood of the Astronaut

Many of us dreamed of becoming a cosmonaut in our childhood. Many, but neither George Grechko. The Soviet cosmonaut by whom only did not imagine himself in the guise of an adult - and a sniper, and a tankman, and a pilot! Love of space came to him only in his teens, when he read a book about interplanetary travels written by a science fiction writer. After it, he decided for himself - he will be an astronaut!

George Grechko was born on May 25, 1931 in Leningrad. Before the beginning of the bloody Great Patriotic War, exactly ten days later, the boy was sent by his parents to his native grandmother, who lived in Ukraine. So Georgi Mikhailovich returned to his homeland only in 1943.

According to the available sources, Grechko graduated from Leningrad secondary school in 1949, after which he was enrolled in the Leningrad Mechanical Institute. The young engineer became one of those to whom the development of a new missile was entrusted, which subsequently brought into orbit the first artificial Earth satellite.

And this is only the beginning

Since 1966, Georgy Grechko is in a group of astronauts, where he was enrolled with the preliminary passage of the medical commission by the Queen. For the sake of conquering the airless space, he was ready to sacrifice much: his own strength, knowledge, free time, and if necessary, then life.

An acute inquisitive mind and deep theoretical knowledge played a role: Grechko actively participated in a polar exploration party on the Kola Peninsula. At the same time, he begins to perform the duties of an engineer at the SP Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation. And in 1961 he was appointed the head of the OKB-1 group.

Grechko was one of the people who were able to produce the first-ever launch of an artificial satellite. In addition, he also participated in the preparation for sending to the orbital station and many other Soviet-made vehicles.

First flight

His first flight, he waited fourteen years. Waiting drove him crazy. Too many tests have been prepared by fate.

One day he forgot to come to the meeting with Sergei Korolyov and went to the cinema. This offense led to serious consequences for the cosmonaut - Grechko was then refused in flight. Then the doctors wanted to write him off, but he managed to convince them of the ideal physical preparation. After some time Grechko breaks his leg. But he went through this, avoiding other troubles.

The cosmonaut continues to tirelessly train, receiving approval from the higher authorities. Being literally a step away from the start, he decides to leave the family, knowing full well how his party colleagues will evaluate this act. With his wife, he met while still a student. Georgy Grechko decided not to hesitate and already on the first date he made a proposal to the girl. An insistent young man liked Nina. And after a while they officially formalized their relationship. In the marriage they had a son, whom the couple named Alexei, and four years later Mikhail was born, the youngest son of George and Nina Grechko.

Just a couple of weeks before the start, Georgy Mikhailovich unexpectedly declares to his wife that he decides to leave for another woman. The authorities did not remove the cosmonaut's post. Grechko has already shown himself as a highly qualified flight engineer, which earned him respect from his superiors and colleagues. He has repeatedly argued that you can rely on him.

The flight took place from January 11 to February 9, 1975 on a spaceship called Soyuz-17.

The purpose of this expedition was the study of the sun. But the telescope, under which the Salyut-4 station was built, failed, and the cosmonauts received an order from the Earth: do not touch the faulty instrument. But Georgy Mikhailovich wanted to bring the case to the end. To help him came the usual stethoscope, which found wide application in medicine. Attaching it to the telescope, he was able to determine the breakdown. Colleagues immediately noted Grechko's ingenuity.

For the cosmonauts the flight was developing as well as possible. It could never have occurred to them that on Earth they would be met by a strong squally wind with snow, which would bring disaster. The ship fell to the Earth at a frenzied speed. And now it's time to open the parachute ... But he did not open. The astronauts were expecting an imminent death. But there was no blow to the ground. Capsule began to swing sideways. About a thousand meters they were lashed and lashed to the ground.

The researchers were seriously injured. Grechko broke his right leg, and Gubarev suffered a serious spinal injury. During his trip, the Soviet cosmonaut never parted with a video camera. We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to observe this unique expedition through the photographs taken by Grechko himself of the airless space.

The second flight

It was held for a Russian cosmonaut from December 1977 to March 1978 on a spaceship called Soyuz-26.

This flight was also not easy for the cosmonaut. Grechko learned about his father's serious illness just a week before the start, when he was preparing for the second expedition. He was taken to the hospital in very serious condition. The son had no opportunity to neglect the flight, and Mikhail Fedorovich understood this perfectly. Grechko received absolutely no news of his father's condition during the month. But on January 10, 1978, the news came to the ship about the death of Georgy Mikhailovich. The only thing he could never forgive himself was that he had not had time to say good-bye to his father for the last time.

Life has repeatedly tested it for strength, sending more and more new tests. But in any situation, whatever it was, Georgy Grechko tried to smile and not lose enthusiasm.

The Third Flight

The last flight in his life covered the period from September 17 to 26, 1985. The crew made an expedition on a space ship called Soyuz-14.

This flight passed for the detachment without special incidents. In the history of astronautics, Grechko became known as the oldest researcher who had been in orbit. This title he confidently held for the next thirteen years, until his place was taken up by Strekalov.

A family

With his first wife, the cosmonaut met in his student years. In the couple's marriage two beautiful sons were born - Alexei and Mikhail. With his second wife, a charming woman, Lyudmila, he met in the city of Tashkent in the fall of 1985 during a space conference. Lyudmila already had two small children from her first marriage, who took Georgy as their own father.

Other activities

It is impossible to ignore the other merits of the cosmonaut. Grechko for a long time led the television program "Fantastic World." He was also awarded the degree of candidate of technical sciences. He was awarded many medals and awards for valorous work and devoted service for the good of his native land, is the winner of the Efremov Prize. Few people know that Georgy Mikhailovich, among other things, is also a traveler, behind whom a considerable number of organized expeditions to little known, untouched places of our planet. This is how a great man, brilliant engineer, Soviet cosmonaut-pilot Georgy Grechko appears before us.

Conclusion

Today lives a famous cosmonaut in Moscow. Grechko, along with his wife and two adult sons, lives in the center of the capital and works as vice president of the Bank of the OTP.

For a long time, they were thinking how to name the planet, which he discovered during his first flight. In the end, they named her in honor of the discoverer. Grechko, thus, left his mark not only on Earth, but also in immense space.