Nikolay Rukavishnikov
Nikolai Nikolayevich Rukavishnikov (Russian Николай Николаевич Рукавишников, scientific transliteration Nikolai Nikolaevich Rukavišnikov; born September 18, 1932 in Tomsk, Russian SFSR, † October 18, 2002 in Moscow) was a physicist and Soviet cosmonaut.
Life
After Nikolai Rukavishnikov 1957 at the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute completed his studies in physics, he worked as an engineer in the design office Sergei Korolev. The physicist in 1967 selected for the Soviet lunar program as a cosmonaut. After the Soviet lunar program was abandoned in 1968, Rukavishnikov was taken over by the Central Construction Office of the Experimental mechanical engineering as an astronaut on 27 May 1968.
1971 belonged Rukavishnikov as Research Cosmonaut crew of Soyuz 10, which carried out an experimental coupling to Salyut 1. 1974 tested the physicist as a flight engineer of Soyuz 16, all elements of the American- Soviet Apollo -Soyuz project. 1979 was Rukavishnikov commander of Soyuz 33, which adhere to the Salyut 6 space station, was docked on the Soyuz 32, approached; However, there was no coupling. With this mission Nikolai Rukavishnikov was the first civilian commander of Soyuz spaceship within the Intercosmos program. 1980 won the title of Engineer of candidate of technical sciences.
Rukavishnikov was still provided for the mission Soyuz T -11. However, a serious illness prevented attendance. For him, flew Gennadi Strekalow. After Rukavishnikov is retired from the cosmonaut corps on 7 July 1987, he was employed by NPO Energia. He died on 18 October 2002 in Moscow to a heart attack.
Rukavishnikov was married and had a child.