Nothing But The Facts About: Svetlana Savitskaya

Svetlana Savitskaya became the second women in space and was the first woman to perform a spacewalk. She was a world aerobatic champion and is currently serving as a member in Russian parliament. Her complete biography can be found in our “Women in Space” series, but here is a list of facts about this notable woman.

Full name: Svetlana Evgenyevna Savitskaya

Famous for: First woman to walk in space, second woman is space

Birth date: August, the 8^th 1948

Birth place: Moscow, Russia, USSR

Father: Yevgeny Savitsky, aviation Marshal, WWII hero

Mother: Lidia Savitskaya, housewife

Family: brother Evgeny

Attended space program: July, the 30^th, 1980

Pre-flight occupation: pilot, flight instructor, paratrooper (sport)

Age at the first flight: 34

Rank at the first flight: Lieutenant, Soviet Air Force

First mission name/code: “Dnepr-3”

First mission date: August, the 19^th, 1982

First mission vessel: Soyuz T-7, Soyuz T-5, Salyut-7 Orbital Station

Number of missions: 2

Second mission date: Jule, the 17^th, 1984

Second mission vessel: Soyuz T-12, Salyut-7 Orbital Station

Total time in space: 19d, 17h, 06m

Missions canceled: 2 (1985 – technical problems in Salyut-7 Orbital Station, 1986 - pregnancy)

Space Exploration contribution: First woman to walk in space, scientific research

Space roles: astronaut-researcher, engineer

Post-flight career (space-related): space-flight instructor, second-in-command to 292 space group, space research team leader

Education: M. Sc in Flight Engineering 1972, M. Sc. in Technical Engineering 1986

Retired: 1993

Retired Rank: Major, Soviet air force

Post-Space career: member of Soviet government (1989-90), member of Russian parliament (Communist Party - KPRF, 1990-93, 1995-today)

Marriage: Hatkovsky Victor

Children: son Constantin, born November, the 7^th, 1986

Honors: Twice Hero of Soviet Union, 2 orders of Lenin, Order of Honor, numerous medals.

Other achievements and positions: World aerobatic champion (1970), 23 records for aircraft speed, 3 records for parachute jumps

Named after her: Asteroids Sveta 4118, Savitskaya 4303

Wikipedia article (russian)

http://www.astronaut.ru/as_rusia/energia/text/savitskaya.htm?reload_coolmenus