Yevgeny Vasilyevich Khrunov (; 10 September 1933 – 20 May 2000)
was a Soviet
cosmonaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
who flew on the
Soyuz 5
Soyuz 5 (, ''Union 5'') was a Soyuz mission using the Soyuz 7K-OK spacecraft launched by the Soviet Union on 15 January 1969, which docked with Soyuz 4 in orbit. It was the first docking of two crewed spacecraft of any nation, and the first ...
/
Soyuz 4
Soyuz 4 (, ''Union 4'') was launched on 14 January 1969, carrying cosmonaut Vladimir Shatalov on his first flight. The aim of the mission was to dock with Soyuz 5, transfer two crew members from that spacecraft, and return to Earth. The prev ...
mission.
Early life
Yevgeny Khrunov was born on 10 September 1933 to Vasily Yegorevich and Agrafena Nikolayevna. Nicknamed "Zhenya", he had five brothers and two sisters. Khrunov's family was a farming family. Khrunov married Svetlana Sokolyuk and had a son on 13 July 1959.
He was born in
Prudy
Prudy () is the name of several rural localities in Russia:
* Prudy, Leningrad Oblast, a settlement in Leningrad Oblast
* Prudy, Vladimir Oblast, a village in Vladimir Oblast
Vladimir Oblast () is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its ...
, Tula Oblast, Russian SFSR.
Education and career
Khrunov began officially being schooled in 1941. He was initially interested in pursuing farming in studies. His interest in flying would soon follow after he watched the planes during wartime. Once he graduated from primary school he enrolled at Kashira Agricultural Secondary School on scholarship and would graduate from there in 1952.
His teachers regularly spoke highly of him and considered him a hard working student. In 1952 Khrunov was also drafted into the Soviet Army where he would follow his interests in becoming a pilot and apply for pilot school. Khrunov was accepted and continued school in the military at Pavlograd in Ukraine. Khrunov later transferred to the Serov Higher Air Force School in Rostov Oblast, Southwestern Russia.
Upon graduation he would receive the rank of Lieutenant. Khrunov later received another promotion to senior lieutenant on 6 August 1958. The following year Khrunov was interviewed along with Gorbatko in regards to becoming a cosmonaut although they were not expressly told that was what they were being interviewed for. Both Gorbatko and Khrunov were evaluated in medical exams and approved for training to become cosmonauts.
Awards
*
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...
*
Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR
The honorary title Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR () was a state award of the Soviet Union presented to all cosmonauts who flew for the Soviet Space Agency. Usually accompanying the distinction was the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the hi ...
*
Order of Lenin
The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...
*
Order of the Red Star
The Order of the Red Star () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 1930 but its statute was only defined in decree of the Presidium of the ...
*
*
*
Jubilee Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
The Jubilee Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" () was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on December 18, 1957 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote the fortieth anni ...
*
Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
The Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" () was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established on December 26, 1967 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote the fiftieth anniv ...
*
Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR"
The Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" () was a state military commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established and bestowed upon military personnel to denote the sixtieth anniversary of the creation of the armed forces of ...
*
Medals "For Impeccable Service" 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes
*
Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Soviet Militia"
The Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Soviet Militia" () was a state commemorative medal of the Soviet Union established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on November 20, 1967 to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of t ...
*
Medal "For Strengthening Military Cooperation"
A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...
Later life
After leaving the space program in 1980 he worked at the
, and later he was appointed to the Chief State Committee for foreign economic relations until his retirement in 1989.
He died of a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
on 20 May 2000 at the age of 66.
References
External links
*
The official website of the city administration Baikonur – Honorary citizens of Baikonur
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khrunov, Yevgeny
1933 births
2000 deaths
1969 in spaceflight
Soviet cosmonauts
Heroes of the Soviet Union
Recipients of the Order of Lenin
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner
Spacewalkers