Georgy Shonin
Georgi Stepanovich Shonin (Russian Георгий Степанович Шонин, scientific transliteration Georgy Stepanovic Sonin, born August 3, 1935 in Rovenki, Woroschilowgrad Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, † April 7, 1997 in Zvezdny Gorodok, Moscow Oblast, Russia) was a Soviet cosmonaut.
Career
Georgi Shonin finished his training as a pilot in 1957 at the Military Aviator Pilot School in Jeisk. After the State Inter-agency Commission chose him on March 7, 1960 cosmonauts Shonin began his basic training for cosmonauts OKP in March 1960, the pilot completed on 3 April 1961. First designed for the Voskhod - 3 mission, Shonin flew as Commander on Soyuz 6 in space, where he 8 on the first group of three flight of manned space ships took part with Soyuz 7 and Soyuz.
Shonin was assigned as commander of Soyuz 10, the first team that should change in a space station. Because of alcohol problems but he was replaced by Vladimir Shatalov in February 1971. Shonin lost his flight status, but different only on 18 April 1979 the cosmonaut corps. He was appointed director of the Central Scientific Research Institute of the Soviet Ministry of Defense. 1990 retired, held the rank of Lieutenant General Shonin the reserve of the Russian Air Force. He died on April 7, 1997 of a heart attack.
Shonin was married and had four children.