Encyclopedia entry

Gubarev, Aleksei Aleksandrovich

Person · Russia

Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Russian pilot cosmonaut 1963-1981.

Biography

Aleksey Aleksandrovich Gubarev was born on March 29, 1931 in the village of Gvardeitsy in the Samara region to a peasant family. From 1936, he lived and studied at the Chashnikovo collective farm near Moscow, where his family had move after the death of his father. In 1950, he graduated from middle school in Kryukovo (Moscow region) and entered Naval Aviation School for Aircraft Mechanics. After graduation in 1952, he served with the Soviet Air Force. In 1961, he graduated from the Gagarin Air Force Academy and was assigned for service with Black Sea aviation units, where he served as a squadron commander until his acceptance to the cosmonaut unit.

In 1963 he was accepted into the Soviet cosmonaut unit (1963 Air Force Group #2). He underwent the full general space preparation course. He trained for the Soviet Lunar program, and participated as a group member in mastering the military research variant of the Soyuz (7K-VI). Later, he trained for space flight on Soyuz type spacecraft and on orbital stations of Salyut.

In September 1973 he commanded the reserve crew (with Georgi Mikhailovich Grechko) for the Soyuz-12 flight. He performed his first flight from January 11 through February 9, 1975, together with Grechko, as commander of Soyuz-17 and the orbital complex Salyut-4 - Soyuz-17 (call sign Zenit). His space flight lasted 29 days 13 hours 19 minutes and 45 seconds.

From 1976 he underwent preparations under the Intercosmos program for co-operation with socialist countries. He made his second space flight on March 2-10, 1978, as commander of Soyuz-28 (call sign Zenit) together with Czech Vladimir Remek. This was the first manned spaceflight of the Intercosmos program. The cosmonauts worked onboard the orbital complex Salyut-6 - Soyuz-27 - Soyuz-28 together with Yuri Viktorovich Romanenko and Georgi Mikhailovich Grechko. Their stay in space was 7 days 22 hours 16 minutes. During his two flights Gubarev spent 37 days 11 hours 35 minutes and 45 seconds in space.

In 1981 he left the cosmonaut team. He continued to serve in command positions with the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre. He is currently retired.

Awards: Twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Hero of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. Awarded two Orders of Lenin, Czechoslovak Order of Clement Gotvald, Tsiolkovskiy Gold Medal (USSR Academy of Sciences), Gagarin Gold Medal (FAI). Honorary citizen of Kaluga (Russia), Arkalyk, Tselinograd (Kazakhstan), and Prague (Czech Republic). Author of the book The Attraction of Weightlessness (Moscow, 1982).

Call sign: Zenit (Zenith).

More at: Gubarev.

Family: Cosmonaut
Country: Russia
Spacecraft: Salyut 6
Flights: Soyuz VI Flight 1, Soyuz 12 / DOS 1, DOS 2-1, Soyuz 12 / DOS 2, Soyuz 13 / DOS 2, Soyuz 12 / DOS 3, Soyuz 13 / DOS 3, Soyuz 12, Soyuz 17, Soyuz 28
Projects: Salyut
Agency: VVS
Bibliography: 5473

Chronology

20 events

1931 March 29

Birth of Aleksey Aleksandrovich Gubarev - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Gubarev. Russian pilot cosmonaut 1963-1981. 2 spaceflights, 37.5 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz 17 (1975), Soyuz 28..

1963 January 8

15 new cosmonauts are selected. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Artyukhin, Buinovski, Demin, Dobrovolsky, Filipchenko, Gubarev, Gulyayev, Kolodin, Kugno, Kuklin, Matinchenko, Shatalov, Vorobyov, Voronov, Zholobov. The new trainees include one from the VMF Navy Aviation, two from the PVO Air Defence, four from the RVSN Strategic Rocket Forces, and eight from the VVS Air Force..

1963 January 10

Soviet Air Force Cosmonaut Training Group 2 selected. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Artyukhin, Buinovski, Demin, Dobrovolsky, Filipchenko, Gubarev, Gulyayev, Kolodin, Kugno, Kuklin, Matinchenko, Shatalov, Vorobyov, Voronov, Zholobov.
The group was selected to provide astronauts for the Soyuz manned spaceflight program.. Qualifications: Military pilots, engineers, or navigators under 40 years of age; graduate of military academy or civilian university; under 170 cm tall; under 70 kg in weight..

1965 January 15

Cosmonaut examinations - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Belyayev, Demin, Dobrovolsky, Gorbatko, Gubarev, Khrunov, Leonov, Pitskhelauri, Shatalov, Zaikin. Program: Voskhod. Flight: Voskhod 2. Spacecraft: Vostok.
The 15 candidate-astronauts take their first phase examinations. 13 are rated outstanding, with Shatalov, Gubarev, and Demin doing the best. Two are rated only 'good' - Dobrovolskiy and Pitskherlauri. Dobrovolskiy was the worst, getting some answers completely wrong. For example, he said that the maximum thickness of Vostok's heat shield was 440 mm, when the correct answer was 140 mm; and identified Krug as a homing beacon on the search aircraft, rather than aboard the spacecraft. However overall everything went well, and all were considered to have passed. On this day Belyayev and Leonov complete their centrifuge training. Belyayev is 40 years old, and had little trouble with the centrifuge. Kamanin resolves to name Khrunov as a spacecraft commander in Belyayev's place, with a final crew being Khrunov-Leonov in case Belyayev cannot fly for some reason. Khrunov is available since Zaikin since the decision has been made to train Zaikin as Leonov's backup instead of Gorbatko.

1965 January 21

Cosmonaut examinations completed - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Beregovoi, Demin, Gubarev, Keldysh, Korolev, Ponomaryova, Shatalov, Solovyova, Tyulin.
The 15 cosmonaut candidates have all 'graduated' from basic cosmonaut training. The highest scores were by Beregovoi, Shatalov, Gubarev, and Demin. Two days later they officially receive their cosmonaut rating, bringing the total contingent to 34, of which 9 have already been in space. With this contingent the Soviet Union will fly to the moon and man an orbital station. That is insufficient - Kamanin wants a 40-man second contingent. The new contingent will have to be absolutely healthy male specimens, no older than 32 years, under 175 cm in height and 75 kg in weight. Keldysh, Korolev, and Tyulin are against further female flights in space, despite Kamanin's insistence.

1966 September 2

Cosmonaut military program training groups - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Artyukhin, Belousov, Belyayev, Beregovoi, Demin, Filipchenko, Gubarev, Gulyayev, Kolesnikov, Kuklin, Lazarev, Matinchenko, Popovich, Shatalov, Shonin, Titov, Volynov, Vorobyov, Zaikin. Program: Voskhod, Almaz. Flight: Soviet Lunar Landing, Soyuz 1, Soyuz 2A, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 1, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 2, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 3, Soyuz s/n 3/4, Soyuz s/n 5/6, Voskhod 3. Spacecraft: Almaz OPS, Soyuz VI, Spiral OS, Voskhod.
Kamanin organises the cosmonauts into the following training groups:
- Voskhod: Volynov, Shonin, Beregovoi, Shatalov.
- Spiral: Titov, Kuklin, Filipchenko, Beregovoi, Shatalov.
- Soyuz VI: Popovich, Gubarev, Artyukhin, Gulyayev, Belousov, Kolesnikov
- Almaz: Belyayev, Shonin, Matinchenko, Demin, Zaikin, Vorobyev, Lazarev

1966 December 31

Launch Vehicle: N1.

18 cosmonauts in lunar training - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Artyukhin, Belousov, Bykovsky, Dobrovolsky, Gagarin, Gorbatko, Gubarev, Gulyayev, Khrunov, Kolesnikov, Kolodin, Komarov, Nikolayev, Popovich, Volynov, Voronov, Zholobov. Program: Lunar L1. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-LOK. Gagarin, Komarov, Nikolayev, Bykovsky, Khrunov, Gorbatko, Voronov, Kolodin, Popovich, Gubarev, Artyukhin, Gylyayev, Belousov, Kolesnikov, Volynov, Doborvolsky, Zhobolov..

1969 Early

Soyuz VI Flight 1 (cancelled) - . Crew: Kolesnikov, Popovich. Backup Crew: Belousov, Gubarev. Nation: Russia. Program: Almaz. Flight: Soyuz VI Flight 1. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz VI. The planned first flight of the Soyuz VI combat spacecraft was planned for early 1969, beating America's equivalent Manned Orbiting Lab. The project was cancelled in 1968..

1971 June 15

Soyuz Kontakt and DOS-2 crew assignments made. - . Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Alekseyev, Semyon, Artyukhin, Bykovsky, Filipchenko, Gorbatko, Grechko, Gubarev, Isakov, Klimuk, Kolodin, Kovalyonok, Lazarev, Leonov, Makarov, Porvatkin, Rukavishnikov, Sevastyanov, Shcheglov, Vorobyov, Voronov, Yakovlev, Yazdovsky. Program: Salyut, Lunar L3. Flight: DOS 2-1, DOS 2-2, DOS 2-3, DOS 2-4, Soyuz 11, Soyuz 12 / DOS 1, Soyuz sn 18, Soyuz sn 19, Soyuz sn 20, Soyuz sn 21, Soyuz sn 22, Soyuz sn 23. Spacecraft: Salyut 1, Soyuz Kontakt.
Crews are formed for six Soyuz (Kontakt?) flights. Soyuz s/n 18 - Filipchenko and Grechko; Soyuz s/n 19 - Lazarev and Makarov; Soyuz s/n 20 - Vorobyov and Yazdovsky; Soyuz s/n 21 - Yakovlelv and Porvatkin; Soyuz s/n 22 - Kovalyonok and Isakov; Soyuz s/n 23 - Shcheglov and [illegible]. Five crews are training for Salyut flights: Crew 1, Leonov, Rukavishnikov, and Kolodin; Crew 2, Gubarev, Sevastyanov, and Voronov. TsKBEM engineer cosmonauts are to be selected will round out the last three crews, but VVS members will be: Crew 3, Klimuk, Artyukhin; Crew 4, Bykovskyy, Alekseyev; Crew 5, Gorbatko. Leonov and Gubarev will have their crews fully ready for Soyuz 12 by 30 June, for a launch date between 15-20 July. Leonov is asking to go to East Germany for two to three days in the first week of July. Kamanin is fully opposed to this - he is thinkng not of his upcoming flight, but the exhibition of his paintings at the Prezdensk Gallery!

1971 August

Soyuz 12 / DOS 1 (cancelled) - . Crew: Kolodin, Leonov, Rukavishnikov. Backup Crew: Gubarev, Sevastyanov, Voronov. Nation: Russia. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 12 / DOS 1. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7KT-OK. If the Soyuz 11 crew had not perished during return to the earth, a second crew would have been sent to the Salyut 1 space station. Further missions to Salyut 1 were cancelled after the disaster..

1972 August

Soyuz 12 / DOS 2 (cancelled) - . Crew: Kubasov, Leonov. Backup Crew: Lazarev, Makarov. Support Crew: Grechko, Gubarev. Nation: Russia. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 12 / DOS 2. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Planned first mission to the Salyut DOS 2 space station. Cancelled after it was destroyed during launch..

1972 October

Soyuz 13 / DOS 2 (cancelled) - . Crew: Lazarev, Makarov. Backup Crew: Grechko, Gubarev. Support Crew: Klimuk, Sevastyanov. Nation: Russia. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 13 / DOS 2. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Planned second mission to the Salyut DOS 2 space station. Cancelled after it was destroyed during launch..

1973 June

Soyuz 12 / DOS 3 (cancelled) - . Crew: Kubasov, Leonov. Backup Crew: Lazarev, Makarov. Support Crew: Grechko, Gubarev. Nation: Russia. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 12 / DOS 3. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Planned first mission to the Salyut DOS 3 space station (Cosmos 557). Cancelled after it failed in orbit..

1973 September

Soyuz 13 / DOS 3 (cancelled) - . Crew: Lazarev, Makarov. Backup Crew: Grechko, Gubarev. Support Crew: Klimuk, Sevastyanov. Nation: Russia. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 13 / DOS 3. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Planned second mission to the Salyut DOS 3 space station (Cosmos 557). Cancelled after it failed in orbit..

1973 September 27

12:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511.

Soyuz 12 - . Call Sign: Ural (Urals ). Crew: Lazarev, Makarov. Backup Crew: Grechko, Gubarev. Support Crew: Klimuk, Sevastyanov. Payload: Soyuz 7K-T s/n 36. Mass: 6,720 kg (14,810 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Salyut. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Soyuz 12. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Duration: 1.97 days. Decay Date: 1973-09-29 . USAF Sat Cat: 6836 . COSPAR: 1973-067A. Apogee: 348 km (216 mi). Perigee: 306 km (190 mi). Inclination: 51.00 deg. Period: 91.00 min.
Experimental flight for the purpose of further development of manned space craft Soyuz 7K-T modifications. After the Soyuz 11 disaster, the Soyuz underwent redesign for increased reliability. Two solo test flights of the new design were planned. Crews for the first flight were those already planned for the deferred follow-on missions to the failed DOS 2 and DOS 3 space stations.

1975 January 10

21:43 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz 11A511.

Soyuz 17 - . Call Sign: Zenit (Zenith ). Crew: Grechko, Gubarev. Backup Crew: Lazarev, Makarov. Support Crew: Klimuk, Sevastyanov. Payload: Soyuz 7K-T s/n 38. Mass: 6,800 kg (14,900 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Salyut. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Soyuz 17. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Duration: 29.56 days. Decay Date: 1975-02-09 . USAF Sat Cat: 7604 . COSPAR: 1975-001A. Apogee: 249 km (154 mi). Perigee: 185 km (114 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 88.80 min. Manned two crew. Docked with Salyut 4. Joint experiments with the Salyut scientific orbital station..

1975 February 10

Landing of Soyuz 17 - . Return Crew: Grechko, Gubarev. Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Grechko, Gubarev. Program: Salyut. Flight: Soyuz 17. Soyuz 17 landed at 11:03 GMT, 110 km NE of Tselinograd..

1978 March 2

15:28 GMT - . Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Complex: Baikonur LC1. LV Family: R-7. Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U.

Soyuz 28 - . Call Sign: Zenit (Zenith ). Crew: Gubarev, Remek. Backup Crew: Pelczak, Rukavishnikov. Payload: Soyuz 7K-T s/n 45. Mass: 6,800 kg (14,900 lb). Nation: Russia. Agency: MOM. Program: Salyut 6. Class: Manned. Type: Manned spacecraft. Flight: Soyuz 26, Soyuz 28. Spacecraft Bus: Soyuz. Spacecraft: Soyuz 7K-T. Duration: 7.93 days. Decay Date: 1978-03-10 . USAF Sat Cat: 10694 . COSPAR: 1978-023A. Apogee: 246 km (152 mi). Perigee: 192 km (119 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 88.80 min.
Manned two crew. Docked with Salyut 6. Delivery to the Salyut-6 station of the first international 'Intercosmos' team consisting of A.A. Gubarev (USSR) and V. Remek (Czechoslovak Socialist Republic) to carry out scientific research and experiments jointly developed by Soviet a nd Czechoslovak specialists.

1978 March 10

Landing of Soyuz 28 - . Return Crew: Gubarev, Remek. Nation: Russia. Related Persons: Gubarev, Remek. Program: Salyut 6. Flight: Soyuz 26, Soyuz 28. Soyuz 28 landed at 13:44 GMT. .

2015 February 21

Death of Aleksei Aleksandrovich Gubarev. - . Related Persons: Gubarev. Russian pilot cosmonaut 1963-1981. 2 spaceflights, 37.5 days in space. Flew to orbit on Soyuz 17 (1975), Soyuz 28..