1925day.year
Pavel Belyayev
(1925 - 1970)
Soviet soldier, pilot and cosmonaut
Soviet soldier
pilot and cosmonaut
Soviet cosmonaut who commanded the Voskhod 2 mission and oversaw the world’s first human spacewalk.
Pavel Belyayev was born in Ukraine in 1925 and served as a fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force before joining the cosmonaut corps in 1960. He was selected to command the Voskhod 2 mission in 1965, during which Alexei Leonov performed the first extravehicular activity in space. Belyayev remained inside the spacecraft, managing life-support systems and mission operations. His calm leadership ensured the safe return of the crew despite re-entry complications. For his achievements, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. After retiring from active flight duties, Belyayev taught at the Cosmonaut Training Center until his death in 1970.
1925
Pavel Belyayev