Since the end of the Space Shuttle program almost a decade ago, the only way to get to the International Space Station #ISS has been the Soyuz capsule of Russia.
Unlike earlier American modules which "splashed down", the Soyuz touches down on land. Like this:
Unlike earlier American modules which "splashed down", the Soyuz touches down on land. Like this:
Touching down on land does not always mean an open field, and could also be in the mountains or forests (Russian bears! Yikes!).
So, the Soviet cosmonauts carried a gun. Back in the day it was a humble 9mm pistol.
Firing was part of the survival training they had to undergo, as did American astronauts in the initial days of the International Space Station.
Firing was part of the survival training they had to undergo, as did American astronauts in the initial days of the International Space Station.
Here comes the hero of today's thread. A Soviet cosmonaut named Alexei Leonov, the first human to walk in space.
It was his birthday yesterday. He would have been 86.
It was his birthday yesterday. He would have been 86.
After his successful walk in space on the Voskhod -2 Mission, Leonov was on the way back to earth when the automated landing system failed.
Leonov and his crewmate Belyayev used the manual landing system.
But well... one thing led to another and they found themselves in the middle of a Siberian Taiga forest.
This is what one of those looks like.
But well... one thing led to another and they found themselves in the middle of a Siberian Taiga forest.
This is what one of those looks like.
That tempting picture of the Taiga in the previous tweet is how it looks in spring/summer.
This is how terrifying it looks in the winter, which is when Leonov landed.
This is how terrifying it looks in the winter, which is when Leonov landed.
It took them a great deal of pain to get the door of the capsule open.
When it did, Leonov found himself face to face with snow piled taller than him.
Don't forget!
When it did, Leonov found himself face to face with snow piled taller than him.
Don't forget!
It would later be recorded that Leonov and Belyayev wrung out the sweat from their spacesuits to save themselves from frostbite.
Yep, you sweat because you are in the spacesuit, but it's also sub-zero temperature, so the sweat could give you frostbite.
Yep, you sweat because you are in the spacesuit, but it's also sub-zero temperature, so the sweat could give you frostbite.
"Why not get out and walk around a bit? Stretch his legs?", you ask.
Well, the bears were waking up from hibernation. Not the first thing an space-returned cosmonaut wants to see.
Well, the bears were waking up from hibernation. Not the first thing an space-returned cosmonaut wants to see.
"But, but, what happened to the gun they had?"
Well, the gun was a 9mm pistol. I don't think Leonov thought it was capable to deterring a hungry bear.
Well, the gun was a 9mm pistol. I don't think Leonov thought it was capable to deterring a hungry bear.
But this is Alexei Leonov we are talking about! The first man to walk in space, to go on the first US-USSR joint space mission (called the Apollo-Soyuz Mission and came later).
He wasn't one to crib or give up!
He wasn't one to crib or give up!
When he got out of walking around in space and became an Administrator, one of his pet projects was getting a more robust gun for the Soviet cosmonauts.
This was the TP-82, also called the cosmonaut survival pistol.
Leonov was so underwhelmed by the 9mm that the TP-82 had 2 shotgun barrels and a rifled barrel.
The buttstock was detachable and could be used as a machete. Yep, they thought of everything.
Leonov was so underwhelmed by the 9mm that the TP-82 had 2 shotgun barrels and a rifled barrel.
The buttstock was detachable and could be used as a machete. Yep, they thought of everything.
TP stands for TOZ Pistolet, the factory in Tula where it was made, and 82 is the year 1982 when it was commissioned.
The TP-82 served cosmonauts faithfully until 2007, at which point it was replaced by a new sidearm.
The TP-82 served cosmonauts faithfully until 2007, at which point it was replaced by a new sidearm.
Everyone who went on a Soyuz capsule had to complete the survival course which included training to fire the TP-82.
Including private, paid space tourists.
Including private, paid space tourists.
Leonov passed away last October. He was 85. The ISS is a milestone in international space cooperation, started by the Apollo-Soyuz joint missions.
Old man Leonov is probably walking in space, unafraid of the bears, and proud of the international cooperation he was once part of.
Old man Leonov is probably walking in space, unafraid of the bears, and proud of the international cooperation he was once part of.
As the Dragon capsule heads towards the International Space Station, let's celebrate our success and shed complacency.
Let's echo Buzz Lightyear.
Let's echo Buzz Lightyear.
#End Thank you for reading
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