United Nation to mark the 50th anniversary of Leonov's first spacewalk
06/18/2015
Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in his speech spoke in detail about the risks associated with the first spacewalk, when running in front of the unmanned spaceship "Vostok-2", blown up as a result of unauthorized commands.
VIENNA, June 18 - RIA Novosti (Crimea). Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, pilot-cosmonaut Alexei Leonov was honored on Thursday at the 58th session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), in commemoration of the 50th anniversary he had carried out to be the first man to float in open space in March 18, 1965 and the 40th anniversary of the 1975 joint USSR-USA Soyuz-Apollo mission, which Leonov also performed.
"During these 12 minutes and 9 seconds spent outside the spacecraft, Dr. Leonov quite literally changed the history of the space program forever. His mission not only inspired millions of people around the world, but also sent an important message that mankind can and will work in the open space. Gen. Leonov is here not only for his achievements, but also as a person, who lead the peaceful exploration of outer space, "- said UN Deputy Secretary General, Director of the Vienna branch of the Organization Yuri Fedotov, introducing Leonov.
Leonov in his speech spoke in detail about the risks associated with the first spacewalk, when running in front of the unmanned spaceship "Vostok-2", blown up as a result of unauthorized commands. "We realized that the spaceship" Voskhod-2 "had no rescue system, so that what happened at the start could lead to the death of the crew," - said Leonov. Since the ship was put into a very high orbit - 497 km - in the case of ballistic descent " we might be already dead turn into mummies at landing."
The moment of leaving the ship occurred, according to Leonov, "over the Crimea." "I saw the radius 1750 km - all the Black Sea in the west to the east, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, his head raised - the Baltic Sea. All you can see is on the map. An unusual silence. It was so quiet, I did not notice. He added: "We all agree that the earth is round, but not everyone can see it; it is really round ".
He elaborated on all the difficulties that had to be overcome when returning to the spacecraft, Leonov unannounced to MC on Earth that he decided to depressurize the spacesuit. The spacesuit was inflated to the the point it blocked the hatch. The landing would be eventually made in the manual mode. Then the crew of Leonov and Pavel Belyaev waiting for evacuation from the snow-covered taiga, accumulated under the insulation of their spacesuits liters of sweat. "Imagine the picture: the taiga, minus 25 degrees Centigrade, and two naked man squeezing sweat from their soaked suits. It became easier," - said Leonov. They finally found the helicopter and local loggers on the following day .
After the flight, Leonov said, it was decided to create a new suit and search and rescue services - the predecessor of the modern Ministry of Emergency Situations . "This is the worst kind of human activity - the work of a man in a spacesuit in space" - said Leonov. "You opened up new horizons of space exploration ... I'm sure that your statement today inspire us for the future", - said Director of United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs Simonetta Di Pippo to Leonov. After the ceremony, diplomats who participated in the session applauded Leonov and were photographed with him.
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Leonov: two WW2 aircrafts from the United States displayed at MAKS Aerospace Exhibition
06/18/2015
From 1941 to 1945, the USSR received some 18 297 aircraft, of which 14 126 aircraft from the US, and 4171 from the UK, accounting for about 20 percent of all aircraft who fought in the Soviet Union Air force, said Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov on Thursday.
VIENNA, June 18 - RIA Novosti. Two US aircrafts of the Second World War, took the route of the legendary aircraft Lend-Lease from Alaska across Siberia and will arrive at the International Aviation and Space Exhibition (MAKS), which will take place in late August, said Thursday the pilot- cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, speaking at the Vienna branch of the United Nations.
Leonov, who was honored at the 58th session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the first release of man in open space, dedicated the final part of his speech the remembrance of the assistance by the US and the UK to the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War.
"We should all acknowledge this extraordinary manifestation of international solidarity" - Leonov said, referring to an international audience. He spoke as the head of the organizing committee of the anniversary celebrations to commemorate the Alaska-Siberia aircraft assistance's 70th anniversary.
According to Leonov, from 1941 to 1945, the USSR received 18 297 aircrafts, of which 14 126 aircraft from the US, and 4171 - from the UK, accounting for about 20 percent of all aircraft equipment fought the Soviet Union. "This was of great help. It allowed to save the lives of our people. We will never forget it!" - said the cosmonaut.
"It started with air route delivery, but due to Nazi Germany Kriegsmarine U-boat's naval blockade of convoys in the Atlantic, we had to fly aircrafts from Fairbanks to Yakutsk, and then by train. The journey itself was terribly risky and, as the Americans said, only crazy suicide Russian pilots could fly this routes."- Leonov added. According to him, 205 Soviet pilots were killed during these missions.
In memory of these events and the flights, commemoration ceremonies will be held at Moscow International Aviation and Space Exhibition (MAX) from 25 to 30 August this year. "Now they have brought two C-47 from the USA, flown from Fairbanks to this Exhibition and will be transferred to the Russian Museum" - said Leonov.
http://m.ria.ru/defense_safety/20150618/1076922176.html?rubric=defense_safety
