Izvestia: “Putin, Soyuz and Apollo”
Yesterday, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with veteran cosmonauts and astronauts involved in the July 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) in Korolev, near Moscow.
July 19 is an important date in the history of space exploration and Russian-US diplomatic relations. It marks the day some 35 years ago when the Soyuz-19 and Apollo-18 spacecraft first docked together. Since then, the space programmes of both countries have gradually reoriented from “Star Wars”-like projects to the joint exploration of space for peaceful purposes. It is also a personal holiday for the crews of both legendary spacecraft.
This year, Tom Stafford and Vance Brand visited their Cold War comrades, Alexei Leonov and Valery Kubasov, in Russia. Vladimir Putin attended the reunion at the Museum of the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation.
The space travelers awaited the prime minister’s arrival beside the Soyuz-19 descent module.
“Mr Putin, this was the most advanced design in the world 35 years ago,” Leonov told the prime minister as he entered the museum. The other space travelers nodded in unison. Two young men in Bermuda shorts hastened to hide behind the veterans’ backs when they saw Putin striding in their direction.
“I would like to congratulate you,” Putin said, addressing the heroes of the day and paying no attention to the casual attire of the young men.
“Thirty-five years is quite a long time. That was a major technical and political event and the first beacon of hope for better relations between Russia and the United States. Although thousands of people were involved in the project, success depended on you alone. And you made it,” Putin said.
The prime minister’s words obviously had an affect upon the space travelers. He was happy to recount their accomplishments in early space cooperation as well as contemporary successes in the field. Hundreds of scientific experiments are now regularly conducted in the interests of both countries aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
Thomas Stafford joined in the conversation after receiving well-deserved praise. It’s hard to imagine a more cheerful man than Stafford, who is well over 70 and suffers from health problems.
“Mr Prime Minister, here is a gift for you,” Stafford told Putin in broken Russian with a distinctive American accent and offered him a small commemorative medal dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz docking.
Putin accepted the gift with a smile, while Stafford went on to say that ASTP participants remained friends even after 35 years.
At that moment, three friendly hands descended on his shoulders. After observing the gesture, Putin noted: “I can see that, and I’m very happy to know it.”
Alexei Leonov subsequently joined the conversation.
“Please meet Tom’s sons, Stas and Michael. They are going to finish high school soon,” he said, pointing at the boys in Bermuda shorts, who were still hiding behind the veterans.
“When I worked for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, I never dreamed that I would have two good Russian sons,” Stafford added.
“You’re lucky. You must have gotten high enough, looked down below and found two good boys,” the prime minister joked.
The boys are not Stafford’s own children. He met them in early 2004 at the Fryazino orphanage near Star City and subsequently adopted them.
“It’s high time for them to start training for space missions,” the prime minister smiled and shook the boys’ hands.
“I’d like to, but I think it’s very dangerous. I would like to study at Moscow University,” said Michael, the older boy, who looks remarkably like his foster-father.
“What faculty?” Putin asked.
“Economics.”
“That’s a good boy,” the prime minister approved and gave the boys two books: Heroes of Russian History and Heroes of the Imperial Guard.
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The Vostochny space centre
Apart from up-to-date technologies and equipment, Russia needs new space facilities, including the Vostochny space centre, said officials, who were discussing the development of the national space programme yesterday.
“Yesterday, the Government decided to allocate 24.7 billion roubles to constructing a full-scale Vostochny space centre in the next three years. This will make it possible to complete the groundwork for the project and take another step forward after the centre is commissioned,” Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said. He said the funding will be used to build numerous facilities, including a launch pad, a runway, an oxygen-nitrogen mixture production plant and all communication infrastructure necessary to the project.
Anastasia Savinykh
