[FPSPACE] Cosmonaut Pavel Popovich, sixth man in space, dies aged 79: reports

[James Oberg]

The last item from 'Radio Mayak' reports that he will be buried 
in the Troyekurovskiy Cemetery in Moscow.

Pavel Popovich- One Of Forerunners Of Manned Space Research, Dead

Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1123 GMT 30 Sep 09

MOSCOW, September 30 (Itar-Tass) - A legendary cosmonaut, a member of the first ever "Gagarin" team of cosmonauts, Pavel Popovich, passed away five days short of his 80th birthday. Popovich was a Number "Four" cosmonaut in the history of manned space flights.

Pavel Romanovich Popovich died in a sanatorium in Crimea on Wednesday; arrangements have been made now to being his body to Moscow, President of the Russian Federation of Cosmonautics Vladimir Kovalyonok told Tass.

Popovich died in a hospital in Gurzuf, a source from Popovich's entourage said. Popovich was brought to the hospital from a local sanatorium after Popovich suffered a stroke.

Popovich was born in the settlement of Uzin in the Kiev region on October 5, 1929.

In 1951, Popovich graduated as a construction engineer from a technical school and also received a pilot's degree of a pilot amateur school.

Popovich continued education at Kachinsk Aviation School. Upon graduation in 1954 Popovich joined the Russian Air Force. In 1960 he was enrolled in a team of Soviet cosmonauts. He underwent a full course of training for space flights on board "Vostok" spaceships.

Popovich made his first space flight on Board "Vostok-4"spaceship on August 12-15, 1962 as a member of a first ever group space flight of two spaceships (the other pilot was Andriyan Nikolayev - cosmonaut Number "Three").

After his first space flight Popovch was trained for a space flight under the Moon research program. After the program was closed Popovich underwent training for flights on board "Soyuz" spaceships.

Popovich went into space a second time as chief pilot of the Soyuz-14 spaceship on July 3-19, 1974.

In 1977 Popovich qualified for a post-graduate degree in technical sciences. In 1980- 1989 he was Deputy chief of the Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center. In 1993 he was promoted to the rank of Air Force Major-General in reserve.

Popovich is a two times winner of the Hero of the Soviet Union award, laureate of the Vietnamese Order of Labor, laureate of two Lenin Orders, Orders of Red Star, People's Friendship and Honor.

He was an honorary citizen of several cites in Russia and Bulgaria. A bronze sculpture to Popovich was established in his birthplace- the settlement of Uzin. The name of Pavel Popovich was given to a mountain ridge in Antarctica and a minor planet.

Popovich had been Board Chairman of the All Russia Institute of Agricultural Aero-Photo-Geodesic Studies; he remained in this post to his dying day.

 

 

Departed Cosmonaut Popovich Was Man Of Extraordinary Soul

Moscow ITAR-TASS in English 1226 GMT 30 Sep 09

KIEV, September 30 (Itar-Tass) - The Ukrainian space industry sustained a great loss after the demise of legendary Soviet cosmonaut Pavel Popovich, director general of the Ukrainian Space Agency Alexander Zinchenko told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

"Pavel Romanovich was a man of extraordinary soul, a wholehearted personality and a perfect professional," Zinchenko said. According to him, "Popovich loved Ukraine, was a permanent participant of important events in the space industry, Ukraine also adored him and always welcomed him with bread and salt." "He was actually a people's diplomat, enjoyed high authority among his CIS colleagues and did thousand times more for Ukraine than it would be possible to attain at the official negotiations," Zinchenko said. "This is a great loss. All of us mourn for him," he added.

He noted that the country's Space Agency would render the necessary assistance in organizing the funerals of the first Soviet cosmonaut born in Ukraine.

 

30.09.2009 16:29 "радио "Маяк" "

http://www.radiomayak.ru/doc.html?id=154751&cid=44

   Космонавт Попович будет похоронен на Троекуровском кладбище

Космонавт Павел Попович будет похоронен на Троекуровском кладбище в Москве. Об этом после разговора с его родственниками сообщила летчик-космонавт Валентина Терешкова. 
   Дважды Герой Советского Союза Павел Попович умер сегодня в одном из санаториев в Крыму, не дожив несколько дней до своего 80-летия. Павел Попович стал одним из первых советских космонавтов. Он побывал в космосе дважды.


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