Nothing but the facts – Svetlana Savitskaya, the first woman to walk in space

Nothing but the facts – Svetlana Savitskaya, the first woman to walk in space
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Introduction

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.

Svetlana Savitskaya

Nothing But The Facts

Full name: Svetlana Evgenyevna Savitskaya

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

Birth date: August, the 8th 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 30th, 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 19th, 1982

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

Number of missions: 2

Second mission date: Jule, the 17th, 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 7th, 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

References

Wikipedia article (russian)

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

This post is part of the series: Facts About Female Astronaut Pioneers

Over 50 women have visited space since Valentina Tereshkova made her first flight in 1963. Svetlana Savitskaya and Sally Ride joined this elite club from the Soviet Space Agency and NASA respectively. Learn the facts about these pioneers of space exploration.

  1. Nothing but the Facts about: Valentina Tereshkova
  2. Nothing But The Facts About: Svetlana Savitskaya
  3. Nothing But The Facts About Sally Ride