Sergei Krikalev

Sergei Krikalev is not just a cosmonaut; he is a living legend whose career spans the twilight of one global superpower and the dawn of another. Famous for being "the last Soviet citizen," his story of being stranded in space during the dissolution of the Soviet Union is one of incredible resilience and political upheaval. Join us as we explore the remarkable journey of a man who literally outlasted his country while orbiting Earth. Sergei Krikalev holds a remarkable record for cumulative time spent in space, reflecting decades of dedication to human space exploration. He earned the moniker "the last Soviet citizen" after his mission on the Mir space station was unexpectedly extended due to the geopolitical collapse of the USSR. Krikalev played a crucial role in both Russian and early international space programs, including the groundbreaking assembly and operation of the International Space Station.

Source: Wikipedia

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Sergei Krikalev is not just a cosmonaut; he is a living legend whose career spans the twilight of one global superpower and the dawn of another. Famous for being "the last Soviet citizen," his story of being stranded in space during the dissolution of the Soviet Union is one of incredible resilience and political upheaval. Join us as we explore the remarkable journey of a man who literally outlasted his country while orbiting Earth.

Sergei Krikalev: The Cosmonaut Who Outlived His Country

Sergei Krikalev's name is synonymous with endurance and extraordinary circumstances. He has spent more than 803 days—over two full years—in space across six missions, ranking him among the top four individuals for cumulative time off-world. Yet, his most famous story isn't just about breaking records; it's about witnessing history from an unparalleled vantage point.

Roots of a Spacefarer

Born in 1958 in Leningrad, then part of the Soviet Union, Krikalev was a natural overachiever. He excelled not just academically, earning a mechanical engineering degree, but also in diverse hobbies like swimming, skiing, cycling, and aerobatic flying. This blend of intellectual rigor and physical prowess would serve him well in his future career.

After graduating in 1981, Krikalev joined NPO Energia, the leading Russian space organization. Here, he honed his skills, testing vital equipment, developing space operations, and even participating in ground control. His early problem-solving acumen was evident when he joined the team to develop rescue procedures for the troubled Salyut 7 space station in 1985.

A New Era: The Mir Space Station

Krikalev's dedication paid off, and he was selected as a cosmonaut in 1985. After completing basic training, he began preparing for his first long-duration flight aboard the Mir space station, a symbol of Soviet space prowess. His training was intense, involving preparations for multiple spacewalks and the installation of new modules.

On November 26, 1988, Krikalev launched aboard Soyuz TM-7, serving as flight engineer. This mission marked a unique moment: for 25 days, Mir hosted a six-person crew—the largest ever at that time—before the previous crew returned to Earth. Krikalev and his two crewmates remained to continue essential scientific experiments.

The crew's work involved intricate tasks, including preparing Mir for a period of uncrewed operations. After months of successful work, Krikalev made his first return to Earth on April 27, 1989, having completed a demanding and successful inaugural mission.

Stranded in Space: The Fall of the USSR

Just two years later, in May 1991, Krikalev embarked on his second Mir mission, Soyuz TM-12. This flight included a British astronaut, Helen Sharman, highlighting a growing trend of international cooperation. However, the mission would soon take an unprecedented turn, forever etching Krikalev's name into history.

In July 1991, Krikalev made a crucial decision. With upcoming missions reduced, he volunteered to extend his stay on Mir, ensuring continuous human presence. He did not know that this act of duty would strand him for months, far longer than intended, as the world below him irrevocably changed.

On December 26, 1991, while Krikalev orbited silently above, the Soviet Union officially dissolved. The nation that had sent him into space ceased to exist. With the Baikonur Cosmodrome and landing areas now located in the newly independent Kazakhstan, uncertainty loomed over his return, extending his mission to 311 consecutive days—twice its original length.

This extraordinary situation earned him the poignant nickname: 'the last Soviet citizen.' His prolonged stay became a powerful symbol of the Cold War's end, with Krikalev literally hanging in space, between two eras, awaiting the new world. He finally returned to Earth on March 25, 1992, to a dramatically different Russia.

Because of the immense speeds involved in orbital travel, Krikalev experienced a tiny but real phenomenon known as time dilation. Having spent so much time in space, he returned to Earth approximately 0.02 seconds younger than if he had remained on the ground, a cosmic footnote to his historic journey.

Connecting Through the Stars: Amateur Radio

Throughout his various Mir missions, Krikalev maintained a fascinating connection with Earth: amateur radio. Using the callsign U5MIR, he regularly chatted with 'hams' across the globe. A particularly significant bond formed with Australian operator Margaret Iaquinto, with whom he communicated daily for an entire year during one stay.

Their pioneering efforts led to the first-ever packet radio communication between an orbiting space station and an amateur operator on Earth. More than just personal chats, Iaquinto even set up a digital bulletin board, allowing Krikalev and his crewmates to receive uncensored Western news and updates on the dramatic events unfolding within the collapsing Soviet Union.

Bridging Worlds: The Space Shuttle Era

Even before his return from Mir, NASA recognized Krikalev's unparalleled experience. In October 1992, he was announced as one of two candidates for a future Space Shuttle mission, signaling a new era of U.S.-Russian cooperation. He was assigned as a prime mission specialist for STS-60.

In February 1994, Krikalev made history again by flying on STS-60 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery—the first joint U.S./Russian Space Shuttle Mission. During this eight-day flight, he performed significant operations with the Remote Manipulator System, or 'robot arm,' furthering critical materials science and Earth observation experiments.

This pivotal mission laid the groundwork for future international partnerships, proving that former Cold War rivals could collaborate effectively in space. Krikalev's presence was a powerful symbol of this new era of cooperation, a direct contrast to the isolation he had experienced during his Mir ordeal.

Building the Future: The International Space Station

Krikalev's journey culminated in his crucial role in building the International Space Station. In December 1998, on the STS-88 mission, he and American astronaut Robert Cabana became the very first people to enter the newly mated Unity and Zarya modules of the nascent ISS, literally turning on the lights of humanity's orbital outpost.

He then became a member of the Expedition 1 crew, launching in October 2000 to inhabit the station. Krikalev and his crewmates spent months preparing the orbital outpost for future inhabitants, overseeing the installation of crucial components like the U.S. solar array and the Destiny Laboratory Module.

Krikalev returned to the ISS as commander of Expedition 11 in 2005 for another six-month tour of duty. During this mission, on August 16, 2005, he surpassed fellow cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev's record for total time spent in space, solidifying his place as a true endurance champion of the cosmos.

Upon completing his sixth spaceflight, Krikalev had accumulated an astounding 803 days, 9 hours, and 39 minutes in orbit. His contributions were not limited to his time in space; even from the ground, he provided vital instructions, such as helping Expedition 15 jump-start crippled computer systems on the Russian segment of the ISS in 2007.

Beyond Orbit: Leadership and Public Service

After retiring as a cosmonaut in 2007, Krikalev continued to shape the future of space exploration from Earth. He became Vice President of the S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, overseeing crewed space flights. From 2009 to 2014, he also headed the prestigious Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, mentoring the next generation of spacefarers.

His legacy is recognized with numerous honors, including being the very first person awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. He is also an honorary citizen of Saint Petersburg and was selected to proudly raise the Russian flag at the opening ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

Krikalev's incredible story has even inspired popular culture, notably the 2017 Cuban film drama 'Sergio and Sergei,' which draws parallels between the economic hardships in Cuba and the dramatic fall of the Soviet Union, all set against the backdrop of a cosmonaut stranded in orbit. He remains an active figure, serving as President of the Aircraft Sports Federation of Russia and an ambassador for international skill championships, continuing to inspire across many fields.

Article

Sergei Krikalev

Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev (Russian: Сергей Константинович Крикалёв; born 27 August 1958) is a Russian mechanical engineer and former cosmonaut. He is a veteran of six spaceflights, including two long-duration missions to Mir, two short-duration missions aboard NASA's Space Shuttle, and two long-duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS).

On STS-60, he became the first Russian cosmonaut to fly on the Shuttle, and on STS-88, he helped connect the first Russian and American ISS segments—becoming, alongside mission commander Robert Cabana, one of the first people to enter the station. He later joined the ISS's first long-duration crew, Expedition 1, and returned as commander of Expedition 11.

Krikalev is sometimes referred to as the "last Soviet citizen," having been aboard Mir during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. With the country that launched him no longer existing, his return was delayed, and he remained in space for 311 days—twice as long as planned. He ultimately accumulated 803 days, 9 hours, and 39 minutes in space, placing him fourth on the list of those with the most time spent in space.

He retired as a cosmonaut in 2007 and then served as deputy chief designer at Energia, where he contributed to the development of Russian spacecraft. From 2009 to 2014, he headed the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. Since 2014, he has worked for Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, where he is a Deputy Director General leading manned spaceflight efforts.

Biography

Sergei Krikalev

Krikalev was born in Leningrad in the Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg, Russia). He enjoys swimming, skiing, cycling, aerobatic flying, and amateur radio operations, particularly from space (callsign U5MIR). He graduated from high school in 1975. In 1981, he received a mechanical engineering degree from the Leningrad Mechanical Institute, now called Baltic State Technical University.

After graduation in 1981, he joined NPO Energia, the Russian industrial organization responsible for crewed space flight activities. He tested space flight equipment, developed space operations methods, and participated in ground control operations. When the Salyut 7 space station failed in 1985, he worked on the rescue mission team, developing procedures for docking with the uncontrolled station and repairing the station's on-board system.

Mir

Krikalev was selected as a cosmonaut in 1985, completed his basic training in 1986, and, for a time, was assigned to the Buran Shuttle program. In early 1988, he began training for his first long-duration flight aboard the Mir space station.

This training included preparations for at least six EVAs (space walks), installation of a new module, the first test of the new Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), and the second joint Soviet-French science mission. Soyuz TM-7 was launched on 26 November 1988, with Krikalev as flight engineer, Commander Aleksandr Volkov, and French astronaut Jean-Loup Chrétien. The previous crew (Vladimir Titov, Musa Manarov, and Valeri Polyakov) remained on Mir for another 25 days, marking the longest period a six-person crew had been in orbit. After the previous crew returned to Earth, Krikalev, Polyakov, and Volkov continued to conduct experiments aboard the Mir station. Because the arrival of the next crew had been delayed, they prepared the Mir for a period of uncrewed operations before returning to Earth on 27 April 1989.

In April 1990, Krikalev began preparing for his second flight as a member of the backup crew for the eighth long-duration Mir mission, which also included five EVAs and a week of Soviet-Japanese operations. In December 1990, Krikalev began training for the ninth Mir mission which included training for ten EVAs. Soyuz TM-12 launched on 19 May 1991, with Krikalev as flight engineer, Commander Anatoly Artsebarsky, and British astronaut Helen Sharman. Sharman returned to Earth with the previous crew after one week, while Krikalev and Artsebarsky remained on Mir. During the summer, they conducted six EVAs to perform a variety of experiments and some station maintenance tasks.

In July 1991, Krikalev agreed to stay on Mir as flight engineer for the next crew, scheduled to arrive in October because the next two planned flights had been reduced to one. The engineer slot on the Soyuz TM-13 flight on 2 October 1991, was filled by Toktar Aubakirov, an astronaut from the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, who had not been trained for a long-duration mission. Both Aubakirov and Franz Viehböck, the first Austrian astronaut, returned with Artsebarsky on 10 October 1991. Commander Alexander Volkov remained on board with Krikalev. After the crew replacement in October, Volkov and Krikalev continued Mir experiment operations and conducted another EVA before returning to Earth on 25 March 1992.

Throughout his various missions aboard Mir, Krikalev regularly communicated with various amateur radio operators (hams) across the globe. A particularly lengthy relationship was formed between Krikalev and Australian amateur radio operator Margaret Iaquinto. At one point during one of his stays in space, he contacted her once a day for an entire year. Krikalev and Iaquinto successfully communicated via packet radio for the first time in history between an orbiting space station and an amateur radio operator. They communicated about personal matters, as well as political ones. Iaquinto set up a makeshift digital bulletin board that the Mir cosmonauts would often use to obtain western news and information regarding the state of the collapsing Soviet Union.

Krikalev was in space when the Soviet Union was dissolved on 26 December 1991. With the Baikonur Cosmodrome and the landing area both being located in the newly independent Kazakhstan, there was a great deal of uncertainty about the fate of his mission. He remained in space twice as long as originally planned, spending a total of 311 days in space. Because Krikalev spent so much time in space traveling at high velocities, time dilation (or the slowing down of clocks) caused him to be 0.02 seconds younger than other people born at the same time as him. He returned to Earth on 25 March and is sometimes referred to as the "last Soviet citizen". These events are documented and contextualized in Romanian filmmaker Andrei Ujică's 1995 documentary Out of the Present. Krikalev's story inspired the 2017 film Sergio and Sergei, directed by Ernesto Daranas.

Space Shuttle

Expedition 11 commander Sergei Krikalev dons a training space suit.

In October 1992, NASA announced that an experienced cosmonaut would fly aboard a future Space Shuttle mission. Krikalev was one of two candidates named by the Russian Space Agency for mission specialist training with the crew of STS-60. In April 1993, he was assigned as prime mission specialist. In September 1993, Vladimir Titov was selected to fly on STS-63 with Krikalev training as his backup.

Krikalev flew on STS-60, the first joint U.S./Russian Space Shuttle Mission. Launched on 3 February 1994, STS-60 was the second flight of the Space Habitation Module-2 (Spacehab-2), and the first flight of the Wake Shield Facility (WSF-1). During the eight-day flight, the crew of Discovery conducted a wide variety of materials science experiments, both on the Wake Shield Facility and in the Spacehab, Earth observation, and life science experiments. Krikalev conducted significant portions of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) operations during the flight. Following 130 orbits of the Earth in 3,439,705 nautical miles (6,370,334 km), STS-60 landed at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 11 February 1994. With the completion of this flight, Krikalev logged an additional eight days, seven hours, nine minutes in space.

Krikalev returned to duty in Russia following his American experience on STS-60. Periodically he returned to the Johnson Space Center in Houston to work with CAPCOM in Mission Control and ground controllers in Russia supporting joint U.S./Russian Missions STS-63, STS-71, STS-74 and STS-76.

Krikalev with James H. Newman (left) during STS-88

Krikalev flew on STS-88 Endeavour (4–15 December 1998), the first International Space Station (ISS) assembly mission. During the 12-day mission the Unity module was mated with Zarya module. To reflect the international cooperation required to build the station Krikalev and the mission commander Robert Cabana became the first to enter the new station together on 10 December 1998. The crew also performed IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC) operations, and deployed two satellites, Mighty Sat 1 and SAC-A. The mission was accomplished in 185 orbits of the Earth in 283 hours and 18 minutes.

International Space Station

Krikalev was a member of the Expedition 1 crew. They launched 31 October 2000, on a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, successfully docking with the station on 2 November 2000. During their stay on the station, they prepared the inside of the orbital outpost for future crews. They also saw the station grow in size with the installation of the U.S. solar array structure and the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module. They left the station with the STS-102 crew, undocking from the station on 18 March with landing at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 21 March 2001.

Krikalev was also the commander of Expedition 11. He lived and worked aboard the International Space Station on a six-month tour of duty. This was the third time he had flown to the International Space Station. Expedition 11 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 14 April 2005 aboard a Soyuz spacecraft and docked with the ISS on 16 April 2005. Following eight days of joint operations and handover briefings, they replaced the Expedition 10 crew who returned to earth aboard Soyuz. Expedition 11 plans called for two spacewalks, the first in August from the US Quest airlock in US spacesuits, and the second, in September, in Russian spacesuits from the Pirs airlock. On 16 August 2005 at 1:44 a.m. EDT he passed the record of 748 days in space held by Sergei Avdeyev.

Expedition 11 undocked from the ISS on 10 October 2005 at 5:49 p.m. EDT and landed in Kazakhstan on 10 October 2005 at 9:09 p.m. EDT. They were replaced by William S. McArthur and Valeri Tokarev, the crew of Expedition 12.

In completing his sixth space flight, Krikalev logged 803 days and 9 hours and 39 minutes in space, including eight EVAs. He is currently fourth to Gennady Padalka, Oleg Kononenko and Yuri Malenchenko in the record for the most time spent in space.

Krikalev's contributions to the ISS were not limited to his on-orbit time. On 15 June 2007, Krikalev was brought to the Russian Mission Control center to instruct Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov on how he and ISS Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin could jump-start the Russian segment's crippled computer systems.

Later career

On 15 February 2007, Krikalev was appointed Vice President of the S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia (Russian: Ракетно-космическая корпорация "Энергия" им. С.П.Королева) in charge of crewed space flights. In that office, he was the administrator of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center from 2009 to 2014.

In popular culture

A character based on Krikalev features in the 2017 Cuban film drama Sergio and Sergei, in which a professor and amateur radio enthusiast in Havana contacts a cosmonaut named Sergei aboard the Mir space station. The film draws parallels between economic hardships in Cuba at the time and the fall of the Soviet Union, which occurred as the real-life Krikalev was aboard Mir.

Public activities

Sergei Krikalev

From 1999 to 2007, Krikalev was President of the Russian Gliding Federation.

On 14 February 2012, Krikalev was approved as a member of the Public Chamber of the Central Federal District and a confidant of the Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin, and at the first plenary meeting on 14 September of the same year, he was elected Secretary of the Chamber.

On 12 April 2014, Krikalev was appointed Plenipotentiary Representative of the Governor of Sevastopol in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

In September 2016, Krikalev became a confidant of the United Russia party in the elections to the State Duma of the 7th Convocation.

Since 2017, Krikalev has been the President of the Aircraft Sports Federation of Russia. On 16 December 2017, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, he became the Ambassador of the WorldSkills Kazan 2019 Championship.

In January 2018, Krikalev became a confidant of Vladimir Putin in the 2018 Russian presidential election.

Krikalev is a member of the Expert Council of the National Prize "Crystal Compass" and President of the International Environmental Foundation "Clean Seas" (since 2009).

Missions

Sergei Krikalev

• Soyuz TM-7: Launched 26 November 1988/Landed 27 April 1989 • 151 days, 11 hours, 8 minutes, 24 seconds • Soyuz TM-12/Soyuz TM-13: Launched 19 May 1991/Landed 25 March 1992 • 311 days, 20 hours, 0 minutes, 54 seconds • STS-60 Space Shuttle Discovery: Launched 3 February 1994 • 8 days, 7 hours, 9 minutes, 22 seconds • STS-88 Space Shuttle Endeavour: Launched 4 December 1998 • 11 days, 19 hours, 18 minutes, 47 seconds • ISS Expedition 1 Soyuz TM-31/STS-102: Launched 31 October 2000/Landed 21 March 2001 • 140 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes, 54 seconds • ISS Expedition 11 Soyuz TMA-6: Launched 14 April 2005/Landed 11 October 2005 • 179 days, 0 hours, 22 minutes, 35 seconds

Awards

Sergei Krikalev

He was a member of the Russian and Soviet national aerobatic flying teams, and was Champion of Moscow in 1983, and Champion of the Soviet Union in 1986.

For his contributions to the Russian space program, he was the first person awarded with the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

• the title of Hero of the Russian Federation; • the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (USSR); • the title of Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR (USSR); • the Order of Lenin (USSR); • Order For Merit to the Fatherland 4th class; • Order of Honour; • Order of Friendship of Peoples (USSR); • Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration"; • Medal "In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg".

• Officer of the Legion of Honour (France); • NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal (USA); • three NASA Space Flight Medals (USA).

He overtook Sergei Avdeyev's previous record for the career total time spent in space (747.59 days) during Expedition 11 to the International Space Station. Krikalev has logged a total of 803 days and 9 hours and 39 minutes in space.

On 23 May 2007 Sergei Krikalev was selected as an honorary citizen of Saint Petersburg together with conductor Valery Gergiev.

Krikalev was one of five cosmonauts selected to raise the Russian flag at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.