42 years since the first flight of a Bulgarian astronaut in space

published on 4/10/21 6:50 AM

Nikolai Rukavishnikov and Georgi Ivanov (right)

Photo: BNR archive

The day was April 10, 1979 and the time 20 hours and 34 minutes. The Soyuz-33 spacecraft launched into orbit takes to outer space. The first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov was onboard. He made 31 complete orbits around the Earth. Onboard the ship Bulgaria's Ivanov was with the Soviet cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov.

This flight placed Bulgaria as the 6th space country in the world after the USSR, USA, Czechoslovakia, Poland and the GDR.

All-Bulgarian equipment and appliances were created specifically for this flight which were the work of Bulgarian scientists. Bulgarian scientists also created different types of space foods while preserving the taste, aroma and nutritional qualities of the products in space flight.

Some of the Bulgarian developments continue to be used in space flights to this day.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!

Radio Bulgaria News astronaut cosmonaut flight in space Georgi Ivanov Nikolai Rukavishnikov outer space Soyuz space USSR

More from category

A white fairy tale from Burgas!
Photo: Marina Kirova in the Facebook group

Frosty weather, subzero temperatures expected in almost all regions of Bulgaria on Thursday

On Thursday, the minimum temperatures in Bulgaria will be between minus 14 °C and minus 8°C. In Sofia, it will be around minus 12°C. The day will be sunny but frosty. The thermometer values in most places will be negative. Before noon, there will be..

published on 2/19/25 7:05 PM

Bulgaria honors the memory of national hero Vasil Levski

With various events throughout the country Bulgarians are marking 152 years after the death of the Apostle of Bulgarian Freedom Vasil Levski. Today, at 6:00 p.m. a memorial ceremony in front of the monument to the Apostle of Freedom in Sofia takes..

published on 2/19/25 6:08 PM

Request for extraordinary report on readiness for eurozone membership will be signed

BNB Governor Dimitar Radev will sign the request for an extraordinary convergence report on the fulfillment of the criteria for eurozone membership. This is clear from his response in an interview with BTA, in which Radev announced that the Central..

published on 2/19/25 5:33 PM