Who is the hero of mankind?

                       Who is the hero of mankind?

Sergei Krikalev story is always fascinating to me. To this day, he is only astronaut who held record longest stay in Earth orbit.

The tragic part was how being left alone in confined space being bad to mental health. Russia doctors described Sergei unstable, trouble having verbal communication, getting angry & aggressive. It took him two years to be “normal” again.

I frequently use his story to show how dangerous space travel is. People tend to downsize long term effect of space travel, especially Elon Musk. Ill be honest, this almost made me cry. Returning back home without even noticing your country splintering into several states and you hold the flag of your former country is a odd feeling that i cant explain. I feel bad after reading this. Ill be honest, this almost made me cry. Returning back home without even noticing your country splintering into several states and you hold the flag of your former country is a odd feeling that i cant explain. I feel bad after reading this.

This man, Sergei Krikalev, is a real brutalsky rusky. A real hero. It is only fair that the honor of being the last citizen of the USSR fell to him.

While Krikalev was in space, the Soviet Union disintegrated.

He was told, “the country that sent you into space does not exist anymore. We don’t have any money to bring you back from the Mir station.”

The Mir station became Sergei’s home and the last remaining piece of the USSR. Four months after being launched from the Soviet Baikonur, Krikalev was told the news.

His mission was meant to last for five months. They didn't prepare him for more. The collapse of the country dealt a huge blow to the space industry. Krikalev was asked to hold on at the station for as long as possible.

It was very difficult for him, being in orbit more than he was supposed to be and harmful to his health – cosmic radiation, the risk of cancer, weakening of the immune system.

If he wished so, Sergei could leave the Mir station at any time. There was an escape pod. But this would be the end of the space station. Sergei did not give up his post. His mission lasted for 311 days setting the world’s record for the longest time in space.

There was hyperinflation in Russia. The government sold everything it could, including places for the Mir station. Japan bought a place for $ 12 million; Austria for $ 7 million. They also wanted to sell the station while it was still in working order.

All the crew members returned home, except for Sergei Krikalev. He was replaced only when his place as “flight engineer” was sold to Germany for $24 million.

Sergei Krikalev returned home on March 25, 1992. After landing, a man with the letters CCCP (USSR) on the spacesuit emerged from the capsule.

In his hands, he held a flag of the Soviet Union. He looked exhausted. He was pale as a ghost. His condition left much to be desired. Four people helped him get down to the ground.

The place where he landed, the outskirts of Arkalyk, had ceased to be Soviet territory and was part of Kazakhstan.

His hometown Leningrad had become St. Petersburg.

With his big Soviet cosmonaut salary of 600 rubles he could only buy a kilogram of sausages.

In two years, Sergei would be awarded "the Hero of Russia".

A little later, he would become the first Russian cosmonaut to fly on the NASA shuttle. In another two years he would be the first at the ISS station.

Only in Russia, folks.

A miracle that she came back from the gulag! What work did they make her do there those seven long cold years? And what “crime” had she committed?

Interesting how operating a river barge or driving a streetcar: many such jobs went to women. In USA they paid well as union or city jobs and were coveted by men for that reason.

In ussr it probably paid a pittance. Thus the women took these jobs?

She may have enjoyed the work. I found that in spite of years of study, I enjoyed much more being out and about with tourists driving a nice fine deluxe tourist bus than any office job I had had. (Marketing and editing)

It was much more fun and full of diversity of peoples. Every nation visited San Francisco before Covid. Little vignettes every day of others’ lives really amused me no end.

I miss it Very much at the moment.