The honorary title Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR (russian: Летчик-космонавт СССР) was a state award of the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...

presented to all

cosmonauts An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...

who flew for the

Soviet Space Agency The Soviet space program (russian: Космическая программа СССР, Kosmicheskaya programma SSSR) was the national space program of the Former countries and empires, former Soviet Union, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( ...

. Usually accompanying the distinction was the title of

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...

, the highest title that could be awarded to a Soviet citizen for performing heroic deeds while in service of the state.

History of the title

The title was established by Decree of the

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (russian: Президиум Верховного Совета, Prezidium Verkhovnogo Soveta) was a body of state power in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). It was awarded until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 where it was retained by the Law of the Russian Federation 2555-1 dated 20 March 1992 with a few slight amendments and renamed

Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation The Honorary Title Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation (russian: Летчик-космонавт Российской Федерации) is a state award of the Russian Federation presented to all cosmonauts who fly for the Russian Feder ...

Award statute

The title was assigned by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet for the outstanding feat of space flight. The insignia of Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR is worn on the right side of the chest above orders and decorations. If worn with honorary titles of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.

Award description

The title is a 25mm wide by 23.8mm high convex pentagon with a gilt silver rim. In the center is an image of the terrestrial globe with the territory of the Soviet Union enamelled in red. A gold star denotes Moscow as the point of origin of a gilt orbital path going around the globe once to reach a silver satellite at the upper left of the globe. A second orbital path, this time enamelled in red, starts at the bottom center of the globe going up in an arc narrowing along the way to reach a gilt spacecraft above the globe. Along the upper left edge of the pentagon above the globe, the gilt relief inscription "PILOT" (russian: ЛЕТЧИК), along the upper right edge of the pentagon above the globe, the gilt relief inscription "COSMONAUT" (russian: КОСМОНАВТ), along the bottom edge of the pentagon under the globe, the gilt inscription "USSR" (russian: СССР), along the left and right lower edges of the pentagon, prominent gilt laurel branches. The reverse of the insignia is plain except for the award serial number. The insignia is secured to a standard Russian square mount by a ring through the suspension loop. The award is secured to clothing with a threaded stud and nut behind the mount. The mount is covered by a silk moiré red ribbon.

List of Pilot-Cosmonauts of the USSR

The individuals listed below have all received the honorary title "Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR". List is sorted by the serial number of the award. # 1961 —

Yuri Gagarin Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin; Gagarin's first name is sometimes transliterated as ''Yuriy'', ''Youri'', or ''Yury''. (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who became the first human to journey into outer space. T ...

# 1961 —

Gherman Titov Gherman Stepanovich Titov (russian: Герман Степанович Титов; 11 September 1935 – 20 September 2000) was a Soviet cosmonaut who, on 6 August 1961, became the second human to orbit the Earth, aboard Vostok 2, preceded by Y ...

# 1962 —

Andriyan Nikolayev Andriyan Grigoryevich Nikolayev ( Chuvash and russian: Андриян Григорьевич Николаев; 5 September 1929 – 3 July 2004) was a Soviet cosmonaut. In 1962, aboard Vostok 3, he became the third Soviet cosmonaut to fly into s ...

# 1962 —

Pavel Popovich Pavel Romanovich Popovich (russian: Па́вел Рома́нович Попо́вич, uk, Павло Романович Попович, Pavlo Romanovych Popovych) (5 October 1930 – 29 September 2009) was a Soviet cosmonaut. Popovich was the ...

# 1963 —

Valery Bykovsky Valery Fyodorovich Bykovsky (russian: Вале́рий Фёдорович Быко́вский; 2 August 1934 – 27 March 2019) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on three space flights: Vostok 5, Soyuz 22, and Soyuz 31. He was also backup for V ...

# 1963 —

Valentina Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova ( rus, Валентина Владимировна Терешкова, links=no, p=vɐlʲɪnʲˈtʲinə vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvnə tʲɪrʲɪʂˈkovə, a=Valentina Tereshkova.ogg; born 6 March 1937) is an engine ...

# 1964 —

Vladimir Komarov Vladimir Mikhaylovich Komarov ( rus, Влади́мир Миха́йлович Комаро́в, p=vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ kəmɐˈrof; 16 March 1927 – 24 April 1967) was a Soviet test pilot, aerospace engineer, and cosmonaut. ...

# 1964 — Konstantin Feoktistov # 1964 —

Boris Yegorov Boris Borisovich Yegorov (russian: Борис Борисович Егоров; 26 November 1937 – 12 September 1994) was a Soviet physician-cosmonaut who became the first physician to make a space flight. Yegorov came from a medical background ...

# 1965 —

Pavel Belyayev Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev (russian: Павел Иванович Беляев; 26 June 1925 – 10 January 1970) was a Soviet fighter pilot with extensive experience in piloting different types of aircraft. He was the first commander of the cosmona ...

# 1965 — Alexei Leonov # 1968 —

Georgy Beregovoy Georgy Timofeyevich Beregovoy (russian: Гео́ргий Тимофе́евич Берегово́й, ua, Гео́ргій Тимофі́йович Берегови́й; 15 April 1921 – 30 June 1995) was a Soviet cosmonaut who commanded the s ...

# 1969 —

Vladimir Shatalov Vladimir Aleksandrovich Shatalov (russian: Владимир Александрович Шаталов; December 8, 1927 – June 15, 2021) was a Soviet and Russian cosmonaut who flew three space missions of the Soyuz programme: Soyuz 4, Soyuz 8, a ...

# 1969 —

Boris Volynov Boris Valentinovich Volynov (russian: Бори́с Валенти́нович Волы́нов; born 18 December 1934) is a Soviet cosmonaut who flew two space missions of the Soyuz programme: Soyuz 5, and Soyuz 21. Following the death of Alexei L ...

# 1969 —

Aleksei Yeliseyev Aleksei Stanislavovich Yeliseyev (russian: Алексей Станиславович Елисеев; born 13 July 1934) is a retired Soviet cosmonaut who flew on three missions in the Soyuz programme as a flight engineer: Soyuz 5 , Soyuz 8, and ...

# 1969 —

Yevgeny Khrunov Yevgeny Vasilyevich Khrunov (; 10 September 1933 – 20 May 2000) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 5/ Soyuz 4 mission. Early life Yevgeny Khrunov was born on 10 September 1933 to Vasily Yegorevich and Agrafena Nikolayevna. Nickna ...

# 1969 —

Georgy Shonin Georgy Stepanovich Shonin (; 3 August 1935 – 7 April 1997; born in Rovenky, Luhansk Oblast, (now Ukraine) but grew up in Balta of Ukrainian SSR) was a Soviet cosmonaut, who flew on the Soyuz 6 space mission. Shonin was part of the original ...

# 1969 —

Valeri Kubasov Valery Nikolaevich Kubasov (russian: Вале́рий Никола́евич Куба́сов; 7 January 1935 – 19 February 2014) was a Soviet/Russian cosmonaut who flew on two missions in the Soyuz programme as a flight engineer: Soyuz 6 and ...

# 1969 —

Anatoly Filipchenko Major General Anatoly Vasilyevich Filipchenko (26 February 1928 – 7 August 2022) was a Soviet cosmonaut of Ukrainian descent. He flew on the Soyuz 7 and Soyuz 16 missions. He was born in Davydovka, Voronezh Governorate, RSFSR. After leavi ...

# 1969 —

Vladislav Volkov Vladislav Nikolayevich Volkov (russian: Владисла́в Никола́евич Во́лков; 23 November 193529 June 1971) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 7 and Soyuz 11 missions. The second mission terminated fatally.

# 1969 —

Viktor Gorbatko Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko (russian: Ви́ктор Васи́льевич Горбатко́; 3 December 1934 – 17 May 2017) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 7, Soyuz 24, and Soyuz 37 missions. Early life Viktor Vasilievich Go ...

# 1970 —

Vitaly Sevastyanov Vitaly Ivanovich Sevastyanov (russian: Вита́лий Ива́нович Севастья́нов; 8 July 1935 – 5 April 2010) was a Soviet cosmonaut and an engineer who flew on the Soyuz 9 and Soyuz 18 missions. He trained as an engin ...

# 1971 —

Nikolay Rukavishnikov Nikolai Nikolayevich Rukavishnikov (; 18 September 1932 – 19 October 2002) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew three space missions of the Soyuz programme: Soyuz 10, Soyuz 16, and Soyuz 33. Two of these missions, Soyuz 10 and Soyuz 33 were inte ...

# 1971 —

Georgy Dobrovolsky Georgy Timofeyevich Dobrovolsky (russian: Гео́ргий Тимофе́евич Доброво́льский; 1 June 192829 June 1971) was a Soviet cosmonaut who commanded the three-man crew of the Soyuz 11 spacecraft. They became the world's ...

(posthumously) # 1971 —

Viktor Patsayev Viktor Ivanovich Patsayev (russian: Ви́ктор Ива́нович Паца́ев; 19 June 193329 June 1971) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 11 mission and was part of the third space crew to die during a space flight. On boar ...

(posthumously) # 1973 —

Vasily Lazarev Vasily Grigoryevich Lazarev (russian: Васи́лий Григо́рьевич Ла́зарев; 23 February 1928 31 December 1990) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 12 spaceflight as well as the abortive Soyuz 18a launch on 5 April 1 ...

# 1973 —

Oleg Grigoryevich Makarov Oleg Grigoryevich Makarov (russian: Олег Григорьевич Макаров; 6 January 1933 28 May 2003) was a Soviet cosmonaut. Early life and education Makarov was born in Udomlya, Tver Oblast, USSR. He graduated from Bauman Moscow ...

# 1973 —

Pyotr Klimuk Pyotr Ilyich Klimuk ( be, Пётр Ільіч Кліму́к; russian: Пётр Ильич Климу́к; born 10 July 1942) is a former Soviet cosmonaut and the first Belarusian to perform space travel. Klimuk made three flights into space. ...

# 1973 —

Valentin Lebedev Valentin Vitalyevich Lebedev (russian: Валентин Витальевич Лебедев; born April 14, 1942 in Moscow) is a Soviet cosmonaut who made two flights into space. His stay aboard the Space Station Salyut 7 with Anatoly Berez ...

# 1974 —

Yury Artyukhin Yuri Petrovich Artyukhin (russian: Ю́рий Петро́вич Артю́хин; 22 June 1930 – 4 August 1998) was a Soviet Russian cosmonaut and engineer who made a single flight into space. Artyukhin graduated from the Soviet Air Force Ins ...

# 1974 —

Gennadi Sarafanov Gennady Vasiliyevich Sarafanov (; 1 January 1942 – 29 September 2005) was a Soviet Union, Soviet astronaut, cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 15 spaceflight in 1974. This mission was intended to dock with the space station Salyut 3, but failed ...

# 1974 —

Lev Dyomin Lev Stepanovich Dyomin (; 11 January 1926 – 18 December 1998) was a Soviet Union, Soviet Astronaut, cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 15 spaceflight in 1974. This spaceflight was intended to dock with the space station Salyut 3, but the docking fa ...

# 1975 — Aleksei Gubarev # 1975 — Georgy Grechko # 1976 —

Vitaly Zholobov Vitaly Mikhaylovich Zholobov (russian: link=no, Виталий Михайлович Жолобов; born 18 June 1937) is a retired Soviet cosmonaut who flew on Soyuz 21 space flight as the flight engineer. Career Zholobov joined the space progr ...

# 1976 —

Vladimir Aksyonov Vladimir Viktorovich Aksyonov ( Russian: Влади́мир Ви́кторович Аксёнов) is a former Soviet cosmonaut. Aksyonov was born in Giblitsy in the Kasimovsky District, Ryazan Oblast, Russian SFSR, on February 1, 1935. Edu ...

# 1976 —

Vyacheslav Zudov Vyacheslav Dmitriyevich Zudov (russian: Вячесла́в Дми́триевич Зу́дов, born 8 January 1942) is a retired Soviet cosmonaut. He was selected as a cosmonaut on 23 October 1965, flew as Commander on Soyuz 23 on 14–16 Octo ...

# 1976 —

Valery Rozhdestvensky Valery Ilyich Rozhdestvensky (Russian: Валерий Ильич Рождественский; 13 February 1939 – 31 August 2011) was a Soviet cosmonaut. Rozhdestvensky was born in Leningrad and graduated from the Higher Military Engineering ...

# 1977 —

Yury Glazkov Yury Nikolayevich Glazkov (russian: Ю́рий Никола́евич Глазко́в; 2 October 1939 – 9 December 2008) was a Soviet Air Force officer and a cosmonaut. Glazkov held the rank of major general in the Russian Air Force. Biograph ...

# 1977 —

Vladimir Kovalyonok Vladimir Vasiliyevich Kovalyonok ( be, Уладзі́мір Васі́льевіч Кавалёнак; russian: Влади́мир Васи́льевич Ковалёнок; born 3 March 1942 in Beloye, Minsk Oblast, Belorussian SSR) is a ret ...

# 1977 —

Valery Ryumin Valery Victorovich Ryumin (russian: Валерий Викторович Рюмин; 16 August 1939 – 6 June 2022) was a Soviet cosmonaut. Biography In 1958, he graduated from the Kaliningrad Mechanical Engineering Technical College with the ...

# 1978 —

Yury Romanenko Yuri Viktorovich Romanenko (russian: Ю́рий Ви́кторович Романе́нко; born 1 August 1944) is a former Soviet cosmonaut, twice Hero of the Soviet Union (March 16, 1978 and September 26, 1980). Over his career, Yuri Romanenk ...

# 1978 —

Vladimir Dzhanibekov Vladimir Aleksandrovich Dzhanibekov (russian: Владимир Александрович Джанибеков, born 13 May 1942) is a former cosmonaut who made five flights. Biography Dzhanibekov was born Vladimir Aleksandrovich Krysin (russia ...

# 1978 —

Aleksandr Ivanchenkov Aleksandr Sergeyevich Ivanchenkov (russian: Алекса́ндр Серге́евич Иванче́нков; born 28 September 1940 ) is a retired Soviet cosmonaut who flew as Flight Engineer on Soyuz 29 and Soyuz T-6, he spent 147 days, 12 hou ...

# 1979 —

Vladimir Lyakhov Vladimir Afanasyevich Lyakhov (russian: Влади́мир Афана́сьевич Ля́хов; 20 July 1941 – 19 April 2018) was a Ukrainian Soviet cosmonaut. He was selected as cosmonaut on 5 May 1967, and retired on 7 September 1994. Lya ...

# 1980 — Yury Malyshev # 1980 — Leonid Popov # 1980 —

Leonid Kizim Leonid Denisovich Kizim (russian: Леонид Денисович Кизим; 5 August 1941 – 14 June 2010) was a Soviet cosmonaut. Biography Kizim was born in Krasnyi Lyman, Donetsk Oblast, Soviet Union (now Lyman, Ukraine). He graduated ...

# 1980 — Gennadi Strekalov # 1981 —

Viktor Savinykh Viktor Petrovich Savinykh (born 7 March 1940) is a Soviet cosmonaut. Selected as a cosmonaut on 1 December 1978, he flew as Flight Engineer on Soyuz T-4, Soyuz T-13 and Soyuz TM-5, and has spent 252 days 17 hours 38 minutes in space. Savinykh re ...

# 1982 —

Aleksandr Serebrov Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Serebrov (russian: Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндрович Серебро́в, 15 February 1944 – 12 November 2013) was a Soviet cosmonaut. He graduated from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (1967), ...

# 1982 — Svetlana Savitskaya # 1982 —

Anatoly Berezovoy Anatoly Nikolayevich Berezovoy (russian: Анато́лий Никола́евич Березово́й; 11 April 1942 – 20 September 2014) was a Soviet cosmonaut. Biography Berezovoy was born in Enem, Adyghe Autonomous Oblast, Russian SFSR ...

# 1983 —

Vladimir Titov Vladimir Georgiyevich Titov (russian: Владимир Георгиевич Титов; born 1 January 1947 in Sretensk, Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia) is a retired Russian Air Force Colonel and former cosmonaut. He has participated in four spacefli ...

# 1983 —

Aleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrov Aleksandr Pavlovich Aleksandrov (russian: Александр Павлович Александров; born February 20, 1943) is a former Soviet cosmonaut and twice Hero of the Soviet Union (November 23, 1983, and December 29, 1987). Biography ...

# 1984 —

Igor Volk Igor Petrovich Volk (russian: Игорь Петрович Волк, ; 12 April 1937 – 3 January 2017) was a Soviet test pilot and cosmonaut in the Buran programme. Military and test pilot Volk became a pilot in the Soviet Air Forces in ...

# 1984 — Vladimir Solovyov # 1984 —

Oleg Atkov Oleg Yur'yevich At'kov (Russian: Оле́г Ю́рьевич Атько́в; born 9 May 1949) is a Russian cardiologist and former Soviet cosmonaut. With a doctorate from the Russian Academy of Medical Science, Atkov was chosen to be the health s ...

# 1985 —

Vladimir Vasyutin Vladimir Vladimirovich Vasyutin (Russian: Влaдимиp Bлaдимиpoвич Васютин; 8 March 1952 19 July 2002) was a Soviet cosmonaut. He was selected as a cosmonaut on 1 December 1978 (TsPK-6). He retired on 25 February 1986. Vasyuti ...

# 1985 — Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Volkov # 1987 —

Aleksandr Viktorenko Aleksandr Stepanovich Viktorenko (; born 29 March 1947) is a Soviet/Russian cosmonaut. He was selected as a cosmonaut on March 23, 1978, and retired on May 30, 1997. During his active career he had been Commander of Soyuz TM-3, Soyuz TM-8, Soyuz ...

# 1987 —

Aleksandr Laveykin Aleksandr Ivanovich Laveykin (russian: Александр Иванович Лавейкин; born April 21, 1951) is a retired Soviet cosmonaut. Biography Born in Moscow, Laveykin was selected as a cosmonaut on December 1, 1978. He flew on one ...

# 1987 —

Anatoli Levchenko Anatoly Semyonovich Levchenko (russian: Анатолий Семёнович Левченко; May 5, 1941 – August 6, 1988) was a Soviet Union, Soviet cosmonaut in the Buran programme. Trained as a test pilot and selected as a cosmonaut on 12 ...

# 1988 — Anatoly Solovyev # 1988 —

Musa Manarov Musa Khiramanovich Manarov ( lbe, Муса Хираманович Манаров; born March 22, 1951, in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR) is a former cosmonaut who spent 541 days in space. He was a colonel in the Soviet Air Force and graduated from the Mos ...

# 1989 —

Sergei Krikalev Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalev (russian: Сергей Константинович Крикалёв, also transliterated as Sergei Krikalyov; born 27 August 1958) is a Russian mechanical engineer, former cosmonaut and former head of the Yuri Ga ...

# 1989 —

Valeri Polyakov Valeri Vladimirovich Polyakov (russian: Валерий Владимирович Поляков, born Valeri Ivanovich Korshunov, russian: Валерий Иванович Коршунов, 27 April 1942 – 7 September 2022) was a Soviet and Rus ...

# 1990 —

Aleksandr Nikolayevich Balandin Aleksandr Nikolayevich Balandin (russian: Александр Николаевич Баландин) (born July 30, 1953) is a Russian cosmonaut. He is married with two children. He was selected as a cosmonaut on December 1, 1978, and retired on O ...

# 1991 —

Gennadi Manakov Gennady Mikhailovich Manakov (russian: Геннадий Михайлович Манаков; 1 June 1950 – 26 September 2019) was a Soviet and Russian cosmonaut who commanded two Soyuz flights to the Mir space station. He was born in Yefimovka ...

# 1991 —

Viktor Mikhailovich Afanasyev Viktor Mikhailovich Afanasyev (russian: Виктор Михайлович Афанасьев; born 31 December 1948) is a colonel in the Russian Air Force and a test cosmonaut of the Yu. A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. He was born 31 D ...

# 1991 —

Anatoly Artsebarsky Anatoly Pavlovich Artsebarsky ( uk, Анатолій Павлович Арцебарський, russian: Анатолий Павлович Арцебарский; born 9 September 1956) is a former Soviet cosmonaut. He became a cosmonaut in 1985 ...

# 1991 —

Toktar Aubakirov Toktar Ongarbayuly Aubakirov ( kk, Тоқтар Оңғарбайұлы Әубәкіров (''Toqtar Oñğarbaiūly Äubäkırov''), russian: Токтар Онгарбаевич Аубакиров, born on 27 July 1946) is a retired Kazakh Air ...

References

External links

Legal Library of the USSR
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pilot-Cosmonaut Of The USSR Honorary titles of the Soviet Union Awards established in 1961 *

History of the title

Award statute

Award description

List of Pilot-Cosmonauts of the USSR

See also

References

External links