Jan 29

Space Rocket History #331 – Soyuz 11/Salyut 1 – Life Aboard the First Space Station

Dobrovolsky wrote in his diary, “Some days were a nightmare. There was a general absence of everything: no interesting things, no happiness, the monotonous sound of the ventilators, strong smells, numerous experiments. It seemed to me that Flight Control simply wished to test our endurance.”

Jan 15

Space Rocket History #330 – Soyuz 11/Salyut 1 – What’s That Smell?

Volkov radioed “Zarya, wait! Yantar 3 is in Soyuz. Don’t start until Yantar 3 has returned to the Salyut! There is a strong smell in Salyut! He will put on a mask and go in again!”

Jan 01

Space Rocket History #329 – Soyuz 11 – The Replacement Crew – Dobrovolsky, Volkov, and Patsayev – Part 2

I am proud to have been involved in the Vostok spacecraft which carried Gagarin on the first manned space flight and in its modification for Voskhod.” Volkov

Dec 19

Space Rocket History #328 – Soyuz 11 – The Replacement Crew – Dobrovolsky, Volkov, and Patsayev – Part 1

Dobrovolsky was blond, tall, broad-shouldered, and tough. He was kind-hearted and had a contagious belly laugh. At the Air Force school, his friends nicknamed him `Odessa’, and he was proud of it.