Konstantin Petrovich Feoktistov: biography, awards

Konstantin Petrovich Feoktistov is the only person in the history of Soviet cosmonautics, who was not a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Is it possible? The researcher made his first space expedition in October 1964. Cosmonauts Komarov, Feoktistov, Egorov - the first in the USSR and the world group space crew with triple placement on board.

Childhood and singed youth

The future cosmonaut was born on February 7, 1926 in Voronezh. Constantine became the second son in the family of accountant Pyotr Pavlovich and nurse Maria Fedorovna Feoktistov. In his book "The Trajectory of Life" Konstantin Feoktistov described in detail childhood and adolescence. The fact that his grandfather was on the paternal side was a priest, the boy learned shortly before entering the institute. Parents in every possible way concealed from their sons this fact, so as not to complicate their lives.

The fifteen-year-old Konstantin Petrovich Feoktistov met the war in Voronezh. However, during the evacuation of the family from the city, the impudent teenager fled to the front. The guy was enlisted as a scout in one of the military units of the Voronezh garrison of the Bryansk Front, retreating to the east of the country. When the reconnaissance operation was carried out in his native city, Konstantin was captured by the fascists and shot. Fortunately, the shot in the throat was not fatal. After the hospital, the young scout is sent to the evacuation to his parents in Kokand (Uzbekistan), where he received secondary education in 1943.

Years of study at MVTU

The transfer to Moscow was connected with the admission to a higher educational institution (MVTU named after NE Bauman), which Konstantin Petrovich Feoktistov graduated in 1949, having obtained the specialty of mechanical engineer in thermal and hydraulic machines. After the successful defense of the diploma project, the young engineer receives a distribution in the city of Zlatoust in the Chelyabinsk region to the secret design bureau (SKB-385). There, starting with the ordinary engineer-constructor, Konstantin Petrovich Feoktistov came to the head of the project team.

Work in the NGO Energia

The first meeting with Chief Designer SP Korolyov took place at OKB-1, where the future cosmonaut trained and defended the academic degree. In 1957 K.P. Feoktistov moved to work at OKB-1, which was later re-formed into the research and production association "Energia", and began to design the first Earth satellite as the chief of the design experimental group.

The deputy chief of a special design department, the head of the sector, the head of the 9th secret department is a short record of K. Feoktistov. After the formation of the first cosmonaut detachment, Konstantin Petrovich introduces future conquerors of space with the installation of the Vostok spacecraft, the active developer of which he was. The teaching of the material part in the Cosmonaut Training Center and the first flight of Yu. A. Gagarin formed the desire of the scientist to participate in the space flight himself.

KP Feoktistov - cosmonaut No. 12

In 1964, after completing a full course of general space training, Konstantin Petrovich became the first civilian specialist in the cosmonaut detachment. The unexpected fact that the future researcher is not a member of the CPSU, very upset the members of the government. However, with the personal approval of Leonid Brezhnev, and after his triumphant victory in the removal of NS Khrushchev from the post of General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, this fact was not given special significance in the biography of Konstantin Petrovich. His first flight to the stars KP Feoktistov, cosmonaut No. 12, committed on October 12, 1964.

The composition of the first group multipart crew of the spacecraft "Voskhod":

• VM Komarov - commander and pilot of the spacecraft.
• BB Egorov - the first in the country "space" doctor and deputy commander.
• KP Feoktistov is a civilian cosmonaut-researcher.

The duration of the flight "Voskhod" lasted a little more than a day. Its uniqueness lay in the fact that for the first time in space orbit people were without spacesuits. Another task of this expedition was to attempt a soft landing on the Earth, which was successfully carried out. The scientific interest of the cosmonaut-researcher was the determination of the optical characteristics of the atmosphere, the testing of the navigation system and airborne equipment. During this flight, the government of the country awarded the cosmonauts the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union. Medal "Gold Star" No. 11227 was awarded to K. P. Feoktistov.

Interesting Facts

• The idea of a space flight without spacesuits on the apparatus "Voskhod" was born a few days before the start. The narrow cabin of the ship did not provide for the placement of three cosmonauts in full equipment.
• During the space mission, the crew flew the planet 16 times.
• The bailout system on board the device was completely absent.
• The report on the launch of the space crew was received by Nikita Khrushchev on October 12, 1964 , and the new chairman of the government, Leonid Brezhnev, received the report on the completion of the expedition the next day.

• In 1979, the pilot-cosmonaut K. P. Feoktistov was forbidden to leave the Soviet Union. The basis was his misconduct on the Island of Freedom. During the ceremony in honor of the memory of the deceased Cuban revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos Horrirana, the cosmonaut "threw flowers into the sea". The question of his further foreign business trips was decided at the level of the chairman of the State Security of the USSR.

Awards of the Motherland

In total, more than 30 state insignia are in the arsenal of Konstantin Petrovich's awards. This is a sign of gratitude not only from the Soviet government, but also the world recognition of other states:

• Hero of the Soviet Union.
• Hero of Labor DRV (Democratic Republic of Vietnam).
• The order of Lenin.
• Order of the Red Banner of Labor (twice).
• The Order of the Badge of Honor and many other awards.

In addition, KP Feoktistov is a laureate of the Lenin and State Prizes, an honorable citizen of Voronezh and Kaluga. His name is the largest impact crater in the northern (reverse) hemisphere of the Moon. Many streets in cities and towns of the former Soviet Union bear the name of the twelfth cosmonaut of the Earth.

Work continues

In connection with the health problems in 1987, the researcher left the cosmonaut detachment. All subsequent years Feoktistov Konstantin Petrovich, whose biography became "cosmic", was closely associated with scientific developments and design of orbital stations.

For more than 15 years, K. P. Feoktistov headed the department of the Moscow University. His scientific works, inventions and books on the history of space exploration have been translated into many foreign languages. On November 21, 2009, Feoktistov Konstantin Petrovich finished his life.
The family has lost a loving husband and a caring father. Wife (Vera Viktorovna born in 1955) and children (Natalia Konstantinovna in 1979 and Konstantin Konstantinovich 1982 b.) Buried the pilot-cosmonaut at the Troyekurovsky cemetery.