Background
Aleksei Yeliseyev was born on the 13 of July, 1934 in Zhizdra, Kaluga Oblast, RSFSR (Russia).
Aleksey
Aleksei Yeliseyev was born on the 13 of July, 1934 in Zhizdra, Kaluga Oblast, RSFSR (Russia).
In 1943 he completed second year of the school in Borovoye, Kokshetau Oblast, in 1946 he completed third year in 4th railway school in the village of Nemchinovka, Moscow Oblast.
In 1951 he graduated from the secondary school №167 in Moscow.
In 1957 he graduated from the Bauman Moscow State Technical University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
In 1962 he completed postgraduate studies at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.
On December 15, 1967 he got his Ph.D at Central Design Bureau of Experimental Machine Building and obtained a degree of candidate of technical science.
On February 16, 1973 after receiving his Ph.D he obtained a degree of doctor of technical science.
From March 18, 1957 to January 4, 1960 he worked as an engineer at laboratory №6 of Research Institute of Ministry of Aviation Industry. He resigned in order to enrollment in postgraduate study at the Moscow Physical and Technical Institute
From June 1, 1962 he worked as a senior technician (3 working days a week) of the 27th department of OKB-1. From February 1, 1963 he worked as a senior engineer in the same department. He was engaged in applied mechanics and automatic control, designing control systems for spacecrafts «Vostok-3A» (3KA), «Voskhod-3V» (3KV), «Soyuz» 7K-OK (11F615) and 7K-L1 (11F91) - a spacecraft for flying around the moon.
On May 27, 1968, by order of IOM №163 he was enlisted in Cosmonaut Corps at PAO S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. In the development of this order, on July 1, 1968, by order of the Chief Designer of the Central Design Bureau, V.P Mishin, he was appointed to the position of the test cosmonaut of the 731st unit (with the dismissal of the Chief of the Group) of PAO S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia.
In 1962 he underwent medical examination at Central Military Research Aviation Hospital at his own initiative. Because of the conflict with Korolyov he was released from the hospital after 2 stages of examination without certificate about suitability for special trainig.
Nevertheless, in 1963 he received special types of training in Air Force Corps together with 18 chosen military pilots of 2nd group.
In July 1965 he underwent medical examination at the Institute for Bio-Medical Problems as a participant of first group of cosmonauts at the Special Design Bureau Number One (now PAO S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia) and was one of 12 engineers who passed all selection stages.
In spring 1966, after the order №25 of the Central Design Bureau for Experimental Engineering about formation a test engineer training group at flight-testing unit №90, he was sent to second examination at Central Military Research Aviation Hospital, that he passed successfully. On May 23, 1966 he passed credentials committee at the Central Design Bureau for Experimental Engineering. By B.P. Mishin order №43 he was included in the first group of candidates for test cosmonauts of the Central Design Bureau for Experimental Engineering.
From May to August 1966 he trained at preventorium of the Central Design Bureau for Experimental Engineering, he participated in parachute jumps and zero-gravity flights in Flight Research Institute in Zhukovsky on flying testbed Tu-104, he trained in a pressure chamber. From August 15 to 25, 1966 he participated in water training in the Black Sea in a mock «Soyuz» lander.
From 1966 to April 1967 he trained for a flight as a first crew flight engineer of the passive spacecraft «Soyuz» under the program «Docking» together with V. Bykovsky and E. Khrunov. The flight of the spacecraft «Soyuz-2» was cancelled on the eve of start because of defect on the board of «Soyuz-1», with which the spacecraft was supposed to dock.
From June 1967 to December 1968, he was directly trained for flight as a flight engineer for the first crew of the spacecraft «Soyuz» under the Docking program, together with V. Bykovsky and E. Khrunov. In February 1968 V.Bykovsky was replaced with B.Volynov, in August 1968 he was replaced by G.Shonin, and in November 1968 Shonin was again replaced by B.Volynov. In 1968 he went on a business trip to Somalia to study the southern hemisphere of the sky.
On December 19, 1985 he was dismissed from Cosmonaut Corps in connection with transition to another job.
Yeliseyev made 3 space flights:
1st flight - January 15-17, 1969 - as a flight engineer of the spacecraft «Soyuz-5» (start with B. Volynov and E. Khrunov) and the spacecraft «Soyuz-4» (landing with V. Shatalov and E. Khrunov). During the flight the world’s first docking of two spacecrafts, the crew transited from one spacecraft to another through outer space (December 16, 1969, duration - 37 minutes). Mission duration: 1 day, 23 hours, 45 minuses, 50 seconds. Call sign: «Baykal-2» (start), «Amur-2» (landing).
2nd flight - October 13-18 , 1969 - as a flight engineer of the spacecraft «Soyuz-8» (with V. Shatalov) under the 3 spacecrafts formation flying program. Because of the «Igla» rendezvous and docking system failure on spacecraft «Soyuz-7», docking of the spacecraft «Soyuz-8» with «Soyuz-7» was unable to fulfill. Mission duration: 4 day, 22 hours, 50 minuses, 41 seconds. Call sign: «Granit-2».
3rd flight - April 23-25, 1971 - as a flight engineer of the spacecraft «Soyuz-10» (with V. Shatalov and N. Rukashnikov). The world’s first docking of the spacecraft with the orbital station («Salyut»). But because docking unit broke down it was unable to fulfill spacecraft retraction and to provide the hermetic sealing. Transition to the orbital station «Salyut» was cancelled and the mission was terminated prematurely. Mission duration: 1 day, 23 hours, 45 minuses, 54 seconds. Call sign: «Granit-2».
