1. Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 7, Soyuz 24, and Soyuz 37 missions.
13 Facts About Viktor Gorbatko
1. 2.
Viktor Vasilievich Gorbatko was born on 3 December 1934 to Vasili Pavlovich and Matrena Aleksandrovna Gorbatko.
3.
Viktor Gorbatko had four siblings, an older brother, Boris, two older sisters, Elena and Valentina, and Ludmila, the youngest sibling.
4.
Viktor Gorbatko was given the opportunity to learn from Nadezdha Karaulova who taught from ABC books that were often censored by the Nazis of everything that had to do with the Soviet histories.
5.
Viktor Gorbatko finished seventh grade in 1949 and then attended a secondary school in the Novokubanski district.
6.
Viktor Gorbatko graduated on 23 June 1956 as a lieutenant in the Soviet air force.
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Viktor Gorbatko had two children, Irina his first daughter, and Marina, his second daughter, in 1960.
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Viktor Gorbatko became part of the 86th Guards Fighter Regiment of the 119th Fighter Division, attached to the 48th Air Army operating out of the Odessa Military District in Moldavia.
9.
On 22 June 1957 Viktor Gorbatko achieved the rank of senior pilot.
10.
Viktor Gorbatko began training in early 1960 but he did not reach space until 1967.
11.
Viktor Gorbatko was the commander of the 18-day Soyuz 24 mission in February 1977 to the Salyut 5 space station.
12.
In 1980, Viktor Gorbatko commanded Soyuz 37 which carried Pham Tuan, the first Vietnamese astronaut.
13.
Viktor Gorbatko spent 7 days and 20 hours in space on this mission.