Shatalov, Vladimir Aleksandrovich

Born Dec. 8, 1927, in Petropavlovsk, Severnyi Kazakhstan Oblast. Soviet cosmonaut. Lieutenant general of aviation (1975). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Jan. 22,1969, and Oct. 22,1969). Candidate of technical sciences (1972). Member of the CPSU since 1953.

Shatalov graduated from the Lipetsk special air force school for primary pilot training in 1945 and from the Kacha Military Aviation Pilot School in 1949. He worked as a flight instructor. After graduating from the Order of the Red Banner Air Force Academy (now named after Iu. A. Gagarin), in 1956, Shatalov served in aviation units of the Soviet Army. He became a cosmonaut in 1963.

From Jan. 14 to Jan. 17, 1969, Shatalov completed a spaceflight as commander of the Soyuz 4 spacecraft. He performed a manual rendezvous and docking with the Soyuz 5 spacecraft, piloted by B. V. Volynov, allowing A. S. Eliseev and E. V. Khrunov to cross through open space to the Soyuz 4 spacecraft. The first experimental space station was thus established, remaining in flight for 4 hr 33 min 49 sec. Shatalov spent 71 hr 14 min in space. From Oct. 13 to Oct. 18,1969, Shatalov, as commander of Soyuz 8, made a second spaceflight, with Eliseev. During the 118 hr 11 min spent in space, he was involved in a group flight with the Soyuz 6 and Soyuz 7 spacecraft. From Apr. 23 to Apr. 25, 1971, Shatalov, as commander of the Soyuz 10 spacecraft, completed a third spaceflight, with Eliseev and N. N. Rukavishnikov. During this flight, which lasted 47 hr 46 min, he docked with the orbiting station Salyut, in orbit since Apr. 19,1971. The flight in a docked mode lasted 5 hr 30 min. Shatalov spent a total of 237 hr 18 min in space in the course of his three spaceflights.

Shatalov was a deputy to the ninth convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. He has been awarded three Orders of Lenin and various medals. A crater on the far side of the moon is named after him.