Vladimir Solovyov (cosmonaut)

Vladimir Alekseyevich Solovyov (born November 11, 1946 in Moscow, USSR) is a former Soviet cosmonaut.

He was selected as a cosmonaut on December 1, 1978 and flew as Flight Engineer on Soyuz T-10 and Soyuz T-15, spending a total of 361 days, 22 hours, 49 minutes in space. His first flight, Soyuz T-10, took off on February 8, 1984, to join Salyut 7. The crew spent ten months (nearly 237 days) performing numerous medical and space manufacturing experiments. They came down aboard Soyuz T-11 on October 2, 1984. Solovyov's second flight was aboard Soyuz T-15, taking off on March 13, 1986 and coming back aboard the same craft on July 16, 1986, 125 days later. During the T-15 mission, the crew transferred equipment from Salyut-7 to the new Mir space station; they were the last aboard the former and the first aboard the latter.

Solovyov then became the Mir flight director (Russian Mission Control) for several years. He retired on February 18, 1994 but came back to head the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS).

Solovyov is married and has two children.

He was awarded:

• Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (October 2, 1984 and July 16, 1986);
• Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR;
• Order of Honour (Russian Federation);
• Order of Friendship (Russian Federation);
• Two Orders of Lenin (USSR);
• Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (Russian Federation);
• Knight of the Legion of Honour (France);
• Kirti Chakra (India).