Background
Leonid Popov was born on the 31st of August, 1945 in Oleksandriia, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine.
Leonid Popov was born on the 31st of August, 1945 in Oleksandriia, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukraine.
In 1962 Leonid Popov completed Grade 10 of secondary school № 6 in Oleksandriia. In 1968 he graduated from Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots as an engineer pilot, in 1967 - from Gagarin Air Force Academy by distance learning. In 1989 he graduated from Military Academy of the General Staff of the Soviet Armed Forces named for Marshal К. Е. Voroshilov.
After leaving school Popov worked as a locksmith-electrician at the Electromechanical Plant in his hometown Oleksandriia.
Since 1968 he was a senior pilot of 627 guards fighter aviation regiment of 15 Air Defense Corps of Baku Air Defense District.
In 1970 he became a pilot-instructor of 627 guards training aviation regiment of Armavir Air Defence Higher Military Aviation School for Pilots.
He started his cosmonaut career on April 1970, when by the order of Air Force Commander-in-Chief he was applied to the post of listener-cosmonaut at Cosmonaut Corps of Air Force Cosmonaut Training Center. Since July 6, 1972 he was a cosmonaut of 1st unit of 1st Office.
From January to August, 1976 Leonid Popov was a commander of 3rd (reserve) crew of spacecraft "Soyuz-22" with B. Andreev. On September 15, 1976 he was the second backup crew commander of spacecraft "Soyuz-22" (commander V. Bykovsky).
From October 1976 to October 1977 Leonid Popov worked as a commander of one of reserve crew under the program of first principal expedition on long-term orbital stations "Salyut-6" with B. Andreev. Also from November 1977 to June 1978 he was a commander of one of reserve crew under the program "EO-1", "EO-2" on long-term orbital stations "Salyut-6" with B. Andreev. From July 1978 to February 1979 he worked as a backup crew commander under the program "EO-3" on long-term orbital stations "Salyut-6" with V. Lebedev. On February 25, 1979 he was a backup crew commander of spacecraft "Soyuz-32" (commander V. Lyachov).
From March 18 to May 22, 1985 he worked as a backup crew commander (with A. Alelksandrov) under the long-term orbital station "Salyut-7" rescue program and first stage of 4th principal expedition. On June 6, 1985 he worked as a backup crew commander of the spacecraft "Soyuz T-13" (V. Dzhanibekov).
In 1987 he was out of Cosmonaut Corps in connection with entering the General Staff Military Academy named for Marshal K. E. Voroshilov.
His 1st flight Leonid Popov made from April 9 - October 11, 1980 as a crew commander of spacecraft "Soyuz-35" (landing on the spacecraft "Soyuz-37") under the program of 4th principal expedition on orbital station "Salyut-6" together with V. Ryumin.
His 2nd flight he made on May 14-22, 1981. Popov was a crew commander of spacecraft "Soyuz-40" together with D. Prunariu under the Soviet-Romanian visiting program. He worked aboard the station "Salyut-6": with the 5th principal expedition including V. Kovalenko and V. Savinykh. Mission duration: 7 days, 20 hours, 42 minuses, 52 seconds. Call sign: "Dnepr-1".
His 3rd flight Popov made on August 19-27, 1982 as a crew commander of spacecraft "Soyuz T-7" together with A. Serebrov and S. Savitskaya under the visiting expedition program.
He is married and has 2 children.