Valentin Varlamov
Encyclopedia
Valentin Varlamov was a Russian jet pilot who was selected for Tsentr Podgotovka Kosmonavtov or TsPK-1, (Also known as Air Force Group 1) the first intake of 20 cosmonaut candidates in 1960. After his disqualification from the space program on medical grounds, he was an instructor at the cosmonaut training centre outside Moscow
.
.
After World War II, Varlamov's family moved to Kyrgyzstan
where Varlamov continued his schooling. Among his classmates was fellow future cosmonaut candidate, Mars Rafikov
, who was almost a year older. His family then moved to the Orenburg region where Varlamov completed his schooling.
He attended the Air Force introductory school in western Siberia, followed by the Kacha Higher Air Force school and finally the Stalingrad (Volograd) Military Aviation school where he graduated with a commission as a pilot. He gained his lieutenant's wings in 1955.
By 1956, Varlamov was a fighter pilot with the 3rd Guard Fighter Regiment which was responsible for the defence of Orel
. He was made chief pilot in the regiment and promoted to senior lieutenant.
Varlamov showed great potential as a cosmonaut candidate, being physically fit and highly intelligent. With the completion of the Vostok simulator, he was selected for a special group of six candidates for accelerated training, along with Yuri Gagarin
, Anatoly Kartashov
, Andrian Nikolayev
, Pavel Popovich
and Gherman Titov
. Known as the "Sochi SIx", this group's purpose was to train the best of the existing candidates of TsPK and enable selectors to choose the candidate who would be first in space.
and Valeri Bykovsky at Medvezh'i Ozrea (Bear Lakes) near Moscow, Varlamov suffered a neck injury after diving in to shallow water. While he recovered from displaced vertebrae, medical officers found further anomalies in his bone structure and he was medically disqualified from the program. He was discharged in 1961 and his place was taken by Bykovsky.
where he served as "deputy chief of the command point for controlling space flights."
In 1963 he became a senior instructor specialising in astronavigation at the cosmonaut training centre. Fellow cosmonaut Gherman Titov
noted that despite his removal from the program, "The stars above pulled at him." He continued to work within various departments of the cosmonaut training centre and was promoted to major in 1964, followed by lieutenant colonel in 1968.
He left the TsPK in 1966.
He died in 1980 after an accident. He is buried at Leonikha near the TsPK (Star City
).
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
Early life
Valentin Stepanovich Varlamov (Russian: Валентин Стеланович Варламов) was born on August 15, 1934 in Sukhaya Tereshka in the Talchinska district, Penza region, RussiaRussia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
After World War II, Varlamov's family moved to Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
where Varlamov continued his schooling. Among his classmates was fellow future cosmonaut candidate, Mars Rafikov
Mars Rafikov
Mars Zakirovich Rafikov was a Soviet cosmonaut who was dismissed from the Soviet space program for disciplinary reasons.Senior Lieutenant Rafikov, age 26, was selected as one of the original 20 cosmonauts on March 7, 1960 along with Yuri Gagarin....
, who was almost a year older. His family then moved to the Orenburg region where Varlamov completed his schooling.
He attended the Air Force introductory school in western Siberia, followed by the Kacha Higher Air Force school and finally the Stalingrad (Volograd) Military Aviation school where he graduated with a commission as a pilot. He gained his lieutenant's wings in 1955.
By 1956, Varlamov was a fighter pilot with the 3rd Guard Fighter Regiment which was responsible for the defence of Orel
Orel
Orel or Oryol can refer to:*Oryol, a city in Russia, the administrative center of Oryol OblastIt can also refer to:*Alexander Oryol , Soviet military leader and admiral...
. He was made chief pilot in the regiment and promoted to senior lieutenant.
Cosmonaut selection
Varlamov was one of 20 young pilots selected for Air Force Group 1 in April 1960, aged 25.Training
He began training with Rafikov, Anatoli Kartashov on April 28 as a military pilot, third class.Varlamov showed great potential as a cosmonaut candidate, being physically fit and highly intelligent. With the completion of the Vostok simulator, he was selected for a special group of six candidates for accelerated training, along with Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut. He was the first human to journey into outer space, when his Vostok spacecraft completed an orbit of the Earth on April 12, 1961....
, Anatoly Kartashov
Anatoly Kartashov
Anatoly Nikolaevich Kartashov was a Russian water polo player who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1960 Summer Olympics.He was born in Moscow....
, Andrian Nikolayev
Andrian Nikolayev
Andriyan Grigoryevich Nikolayev , was a Soviet cosmonaut. He was an ethnic Chuvash.- History :...
, Pavel Popovich
Pavel Popovich
- Biography :He was born in Uzyn, Kiev Oblast of Soviet Union . to Roman Porfirievich Popovich and Theodosia Kasyanovna Semyonov. He had two sisters and two brothers ....
and Gherman Titov
Gherman Titov
Gherman Stepanovich Titov was a Soviet cosmonaut who, on August 6, 1961, became the second human to orbit the Earth aboard Vostok 2, preceded by Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1...
. Known as the "Sochi SIx", this group's purpose was to train the best of the existing candidates of TsPK and enable selectors to choose the candidate who would be first in space.
Discharge
In 1960 Varlamov was promoted to captain. While on holiday in June that year with other cosmonaut candidates Georgi ShoninGeorgi Shonin
Georgy Stepanovich Shonin was a Soviet cosmonaut, who flew on the Soyuz 6 space mission....
and Valeri Bykovsky at Medvezh'i Ozrea (Bear Lakes) near Moscow, Varlamov suffered a neck injury after diving in to shallow water. While he recovered from displaced vertebrae, medical officers found further anomalies in his bone structure and he was medically disqualified from the program. He was discharged in 1961 and his place was taken by Bykovsky.
Cosmonaut Training Centre
Despite his discharge Varlamov did not leave the cosmonaut training centre as other unsuccessful candidates had done. He was well regarded by his peers and continued to work in the TsPK in administrative roles until the flight of Vostok 1Vostok 1
Vostok 1 was the first spaceflight in the Vostok program and the first human spaceflight in history. The Vostok 3KA spacecraft was launched on April 12, 1961. The flight took Yuri Gagarin, a cosmonaut from the Soviet Union, into space. The flight marked the first time that a human entered outer...
where he served as "deputy chief of the command point for controlling space flights."
In 1963 he became a senior instructor specialising in astronavigation at the cosmonaut training centre. Fellow cosmonaut Gherman Titov
Gherman Titov
Gherman Stepanovich Titov was a Soviet cosmonaut who, on August 6, 1961, became the second human to orbit the Earth aboard Vostok 2, preceded by Yuri Gagarin on Vostok 1...
noted that despite his removal from the program, "The stars above pulled at him." He continued to work within various departments of the cosmonaut training centre and was promoted to major in 1964, followed by lieutenant colonel in 1968.
He left the TsPK in 1966.
He died in 1980 after an accident. He is buried at Leonikha near the TsPK (Star City
Star City, Russia
Star City is a common name of an area in Moscow Oblast, Russia, which has since the 1960s been home to the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center...
).
External links
Further reading
- The First Soviet Cosmonaut Team: Their Lives, Legacy and Historical Impact, Colin Burgess and Rex Hall. ISBN 978-0-387-84823
- The Rocket Men: Vostok & Voskhod, The First Soviet Manned Space Flights. Rex Hall and David Shayler. ISBN 1-85233-391