November 21

Konstantin Feoktistov was born in 1926 in Voronezh and trained as an electrical engineer before joining the Soviet space program. Selected as one of the first cosmonauts in 1960, he served as a flight engineer on Voskhod 1, making history aboard the first spacecraft to carry more than one crew member. After his mission, he returned to engineering and played a leading role in spacecraft design at OKB-1. Feoktistov contributed to the development of Soyuz vehicles and held several academic positions in aerospace engineering. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for his pioneering work and died in 2009.

Hassan Sadpara (1963–2016) was a pioneering high-altitude climber from Sadpara Village near Skardu, Pakistan. Employed as a porter, he financed his expeditions on minimal resources, embodying perseverance and passion. Sadpara became the first Pakistani to summit multiple eight-thousand-meter peaks without corporate backing. He served as a mentor to local climbers and worked as a craftsman, maintaining strong ties to his mountain community. His remarkable ascents earned him national honors and inspired Pakistan's growing mountaineering scene. Despite facing health challenges, Sadpara remained committed to exploration until his passing, leaving a lasting legacy.