Alexey Leonov, the research pilot, cosmonaut, and artist was the first-ever in history person to conduct s spacewalk. In 1984, he took part in the opening of the astronautics hall at the Mariinsk History Museum, and in honor of the momentous event, he donated his field tunic as the exhibit.
Leonov was born on May 30, 1934, in Listvyanka village, the Kemerovo region. In 1936, his father, Arkhip Leonov, the head of a family with many children, was arrested on a forged accusation. The authorities expropriated the family’s property, rout them out of home, and children were forbidden to attend school. Nevertheless, the elder Leonov managed to survive in the prison camps, and in 1939, he was acquitted of the charges and returned home.
Alexey Leonov entered school at the age of nine. In junior school, he became keen on drawing. Leonov graduated from Kaliningrad Secondary School, where he became interested in aviation. By the time of receiving his secondary school diploma, he had a good knowledge of aircraft engines configuration and theory of flight. The future cosmonaut picked up this knowledge from the older brother lecture notes, who trained to be an aircraft maintenance technician.
1953 became a turning point for the future cosmonaut. Leonov applied for Art Academy in Riga but left the first year after he learned that students were accommodated in dormitory room only from the third studying year. He was short of money to live in Riga. After the failure with the Academy, Leonov entered the Kremenchug Training Military Flying School where the Komsomol recruitment took place.
After graduating from the school from 1957 to 1959, Alexey Leonov served in the 10th Guards Aviation Division of Kremenchug and from 1959 to 1960, as part of the Soviet troops, in Germany. In 1960, Leonov was assigned to the special squad. He entered the Cosmonaut Training Center and started training.
In 1964, the Design Bureau headed by Sergey Korolev started construction of a new spacecraft with the ability to go into outer space. It was the spacecraft “Voskhod-2”. On March 18, 1965, Alexey Leonov conducted the first spacewalk on this spacecraft. Lieutenant Colonel Leonov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal for the successful flight and for the courage and heroism shown in its course.
Leonov was born on May 30, 1934, in Listvyanka village, the Kemerovo region. In 1936, his father, Arkhip Leonov, the head of a family with many children, was arrested on a forged accusation. The authorities expropriated the family’s property, rout them out of home, and children were forbidden to attend school. Nevertheless, the elder Leonov managed to survive in the prison camps, and in 1939, he was acquitted of the charges and returned home.
Alexey Leonov entered school at the age of nine. In junior school, he became keen on drawing. Leonov graduated from Kaliningrad Secondary School, where he became interested in aviation. By the time of receiving his secondary school diploma, he had a good knowledge of aircraft engines configuration and theory of flight. The future cosmonaut picked up this knowledge from the older brother lecture notes, who trained to be an aircraft maintenance technician.
1953 became a turning point for the future cosmonaut. Leonov applied for Art Academy in Riga but left the first year after he learned that students were accommodated in dormitory room only from the third studying year. He was short of money to live in Riga. After the failure with the Academy, Leonov entered the Kremenchug Training Military Flying School where the Komsomol recruitment took place.
After graduating from the school from 1957 to 1959, Alexey Leonov served in the 10th Guards Aviation Division of Kremenchug and from 1959 to 1960, as part of the Soviet troops, in Germany. In 1960, Leonov was assigned to the special squad. He entered the Cosmonaut Training Center and started training.
In 1964, the Design Bureau headed by Sergey Korolev started construction of a new spacecraft with the ability to go into outer space. It was the spacecraft “Voskhod-2”. On March 18, 1965, Alexey Leonov conducted the first spacewalk on this spacecraft. Lieutenant Colonel Leonov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal for the successful flight and for the courage and heroism shown in its course.
