Share

Related

1988: Bulgaria – World's 6th Space Country 13.06.2015
40 years since the space flight of the first Bulgarian astronaut 10.04.2019

Text size

Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

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

Amendments to the draft budget hint at state's readiness to buy Lukoil assets

Two billion euros in additional state guarantees and a concession of the Bulgarian Sports Totalizator are part of changes to the draft budget for 2026, submitted between the first and second readings. The change that increases the..

published on 11/25/25 4:47 PM

More than 86% of people say that wage growth in 2025 is not sufficient

The increase in the minimum wage is supported by 54.1% of Bulgarians. 1/3 of respondents believe that the minimum wage should be equal to the living wage. This is indicated by the results of a representative survey by the Myara..

published on 11/25/25 1:19 PM

President Rumen Radev: Peace in Ukraine will be written by the victors

“We see a rational plan for a quick peace from President Donald Trump, according to which the situation on the battlefield is developing extremely unfavorably for Ukraine, and he is trying to prevent a worse scenario and additional casualties,”..

published on 11/25/25 11:14 AM

1
..
5
6
7
8
9
10

WEATHER

Pick city: Sofía

Cloudy
Min: 0 | Max: 9

BULGARIA IN PICTURES

Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?

shopify analytics ecommerce
tracking