| Grechko | ||
Personal: Male, Married, Two children. Born in Leningrad, Leningrad, Russia. Korolev Design Bureau Doctorate degree in physical-mathematical sciences, 1984. Civilian Engineer, Korolev OKB. Astronaut Career Astronaut Group: Energia Engineer Group 1 - 1966. Inactive Entered space service: 27 May 1968. Left space service: 1 March 1992. Number of Flights: 3.00. Total Time: 134.86 days. Number of EVAs: 1.00. Total EVA Time: 0.0611 days. Involved in the Soviet Lunar Landing Program. Resigned from NPO Energia in 1986 to become laboratory chief at the Institute of Atmospheric Research in the Academy of Sciences. From 1992 he worked at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Moscow. Skiing, underwater fishing, car racing, collecting stamps.
Grechko Spaceflight Log
Grechko Chronology 18 May 1964 - OKB-1 Voskhod candidates. Flight: Voskhod 1. Of 14 engineering cosmonaut candidates finally submitted by Korolev, only 6 survived preliminary screening and were sent for medical screening (Volkov, Grechko, Zaitsev, Kubasov, Makarov, Siborov, Feoktistov, and Yazdovskiy). 22 October 1965 - Gagarin writes a letter to Brezhnev. Gagarin has sent a letter to Brezhnev, complaining of the poor organisation of the Soviet space program. The Kremlin has received it... reaction is awaited. The letter specifically cites the multitude of space projects and de-emphasis of manned efforts. Text of Gagarin's Letter to Brezhnev Central Committee of the Communist Party ...more... 20 November 1965 - Military-Technical Soviet of the Ministry of Defence. Marshal Grechko convenes the Soviet to consider the issues raised by Gagarin's letter. Representatives from the PVO, VVS, RVSN, and the NTK attend. Problems in the space program and the loss of the lead in the space race to the Americans are blamed on the Academy of Sciences and the design bureaux and factories - none dare risk blaming poor management and support by the Ministry of Defence. The issues seen are:
There is no high-level support for moving space activities away from what Kamanin calls 'the artillery people' - it is known that Ustinov has made his career in building up the RVSN, and he is not about to criticise them. 23 May 1966 - Energia Engineer Cosmonaut Training Group 1 selected.. 2 July 1966 - Soyuz crew manoeuvres. Flight: Soyuz 1, Soyuz 2A, Souyz 3A, Soyuz 4A. Kamanin is back from leave and orients himself. VVS General Rudenko has been visited by Mishin, Tsybin, and Tyulin. They want to replace Kamanin's crews for the first Soyuz mission in September-October with a crew made up of OKB-1 engineers: Dolgopolov, Yeliseyev, and Volkov as the prime crew, Anokhin, Makarov, and Grechko as back-ups. Kamanin believes this absurd proposal, made only three months before the planned flight date, shows a complete lack of understanding on the part of OKB-1 management of the training and fitness required for spaceflight. Kamanin has had eight cosmonauts (Komarov, Gorbatko, Khrunov, Bykovsky, Voronov, Kolodin, Gagarin, and Nikolayev) training for this flight since September 1965. Yet Mishin and Tyulin have been shopping this absurd proposal to Smirnov, Ustinov, and Malinovskiy, who do not know enough to reject it. 6 July 1966 - State Commission on Manned Spaceflight. Flight: Soyuz 1, Soyuz 2A, Souyz 3A, Soyuz 4A. Tyulin heads a meeting that brings the Soyuz crewing dispute into the open. The opposing crews are represented as follows:
Kamanin is furious. Mishin and Tyulin think an engineer can be trained to be a spacecraft commander in three months, without passing a flight physical, without being a qualifed pilot, without screening and training on the centrifuge or zero-G aircraft, and without parachute training. They put no value in six years of VVS experience in cosmonaut training. They give no weight to the years of general training, spaceflight experience, and ten months of Soyuz-specific training his candidates have already had. He notes that the United States trains crews for a minimum of one to two years before a flight. Kamanin says this decision will not stand. 23 August 1966 - Soyuz recovery training at sea. Nikolayev, Bykovsky, Komarov, Khrunov, Gorbatko, Kolodin, and Voronov complete two parachute jumps each, with landing at sea. Training in sea-recovery by helicopter, with the cosmonauts in spacesuits, will be completed over the next two days. Smirnov is ready to sign a letter from Afanasyev, Burnazyan and Keldysh creating a new civilian cosmonaut training centre under the Ministry of Medium Machine Building, separate from the VVS centre. The letter is not coordinated with the Defence Ministry, and contradicts the letter sent by the four marshals to the Central Committee. Kamanin prepares a vigorous refutation of the letter's position. The physicians' board on OKB-1 candidates has only cleared Yeliseyev for flight - they could not agree on Volkov, Kubasov, and Grechko. OKB-1 only submitted four candidates for review, not the eight promised. 2 September 1966 - Lunar flight cosmonauts assignments.. In the period 1966 to 1968 there were five simultaneous Soviet manned space projects (Soyuz 7K-OK orbital; Soyuz 7K-L1 circumlunar; Soyuz VI military; L3 manned lunar landing; Almaz space station). Cosmonaut assignments were in constant flux, resulting in many claims in later years that 'I was being trained for the first moon flight'. On 2 September 1966 a training group was formed for Soyuz 7K-OK orbital flights: ...more... 5 September 1966 - OKB-1 cosmonauts accepted for training.. Kubasov, Volkov, and Grechko have been accepted by the VVS for cosmonaut training, with some relaxation in health requirements. Yeliseyev, Dolgopolov and Makarov need more medical tests to be cleared. 7 September 1966 - Cosmonaut group leaders. Flight: Soyuz 1, Soyuz 2A. Volkov, Grechko and Kubasov believe they can complete cosmonaut training in two months. Of course they know space technology, but Kamanin informs them that, with intensive training, they might be ready in one or two years. Popovich is assigned as leader of the Soyuz VI military spacecraft training group, and Belyayev as head of the Almaz military orbital station training group. Kaminin tells Severin to complete spaceuits for Khrunov and Gorbatko, but to ignore Mishin's orders to prepare suits for Anokhin and Yeliseyev. Anokhin has already been rejected due to his age and health, and Yeliseyev is still being tested. Kamanin reviews draft test programs for the UR-500K/L1 and N1-L3. He lines out statements inserted by Pravetskiy on joint training of cosmonauts by the MOM, Ministry of Public Health and VVS. 19 November 1966 - First Soyuz Launch Commission. Flight: Soyuz 1, Soyuz 2A, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 1, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 2, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 3, Soviet Lunar Landing. Rudenko has reached agreement with Mishin that L1 and L3 crews will also consist of a VVS pilot as commander, and an OKB-1 flight engineer. Kamanin is depressed. Despite the support six marshals (Malinovskiy, Grechko, Zakharov, Krylov, Vershinin and Rudenko), Mishin has won this argument with the support of Ustinov, Serbin, Smirnov, Pashkov, Keldysh, Afanasyev, and Petrovskiy. Later the State Commission meets, for the first time in a long time at Tyuratam. Kerimov chairs the session, with more than 100 attendees, including Mishin, Rudenko, Krylov, Pravetskiy, Kurushin, Ryazanskiy, Mnatsakanian, and Tkachev. All is certified ready,. Launch of the active spacecraft is set for 26 November, and the passive vehicle on 27 November. 7 December 1966 - Soyuz and L1 crew assignments. . Flight: Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 1, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 2, Soyuz 7K-L1 mission 3, Soyuz 1, Soyuz 2A, Soyuz 3A, Soyuz 4A, Soyuz 5A. Rudenko, Mishin, Kerimov and Kamanin agree on crews for upcoming flights. Komarov, Bykovsky, Khrunov, and Yeliseyev are assigned to Soyuz s/n 3 and 4; Gagarin, Nikolayev, Gorbatko, and Kubasov to Soyuz s/n 5 and 6, with Beregovoi, Shatalov, Volkov, and Makarov trained as back-ups. For Soyuz s/n 7, which will conduct space welding experiments with the Vulkan furnace, the commander will be either Komarov, Bykovsky, Gagarin, Nikolayev, Beregovoi, or Shatalov. The other two crewmembers will be either Lankin and Fartushniy from the Paton Institute, VVS cosmonaut Kolodin, or an engineer from OKB-1. Crews for the L1 must be named in order to complete the five-month training program in time. Eight L1's are being completed to the manned configuration, but Mishin believes it is necessary to plan for only six manned missions. It is decided to train nine crews. Spacecraft commanders will be Komarov, Bykovsky, Nikolayev, Gagarin, Leonov, Khrunov, Volynov, Beregovoi, and Shatalov. Flight engineers will be Yeliseyev, Kubasov, Makarov, Volkov, and Grechko. Komarov, Bykovsky or Nikolayev will command the first circumlunar flight. Mishin promises to name the OKB-1 candidates for that flight by 8 December. Mishin and Kerimov agree that training of cosmonaut- researchers from the Academy of Sciences may begin, although both Mishin and Rudenko expressed doubts about cosmonaut candidate Yershov. The failures of Cosmos 133 have been narrowed to entangled thrust vector vanes in the main engines and a single defective approach and orientation thruster. It is agreed to set the unmanned launch of Soyuz s/n 1 for 18 December as a final functional check of all systems. If this is successful, the date will then be set for the manned launch of Soyuz s/n 3 and 4. Flight control will be conducted from Yevpatoria. 10 December 1966 - Soviets view scope of American Apollo program with dismay. Grechko, Zakharov, Shtemenko, Ivashutin, Vershinin, Rudenko and with dozens of other generals view a film prepared by the GRU on the American Apollo program. It gives the viewers a clear idea of the immense scale of the American program, which dwarfs the resources the Soviets have devoted to their counterpart. Kamanin believes it clearly demonstrates why the Soviet Union is lagging in the space race and how illusory is the hope of ever regaining the lead. 17 January 1967 - Manned space plans reviewed. Flight: Soyuz 1, Soyuz 2A. At a meeting of the VPK Military-Industrial Commission and Chief Designers current manned space plans are reviewed. The cosmonauts are currently organised in the following training groups: - ...more... 26 April 1969 - Soyuz program review. Flight: Soyuz 5, Soyuz 6, Soyuz 7, Soyuz 8, Soyuz n 17, Soyuz n 18, Soyuz n 19, Soyuz n 20. The commission considers plans for the rest of the Soyuz production. Spacecraft s/n 14, 15, and 16 are to fly in August 1969, 17 and 18 in November 1969, and 19 and 20 in February-March 1970. Crews selected for the August flights are: for spacecraft 14, Shonin and Kubasov; for 15, Filipchenko, Volkov, and Gorbatko; for 16, Nikolayev and Sevastyanov. Back-ups will be Kuklin, Grechko, and Kolodin. All of the spacecraft will fly 4 to 5 day missions. Spacecraft 15 and 16 will dock and remain together 2 or 3 days to form an 'orbital station'. Experiments planned for the flight are:
Spacecraft 17 through 20 will fly 15 to 16 day missions to demonstrate the new SZhO life support system for the L3, and conduct rendezvous and docking operations using the L3's Kontakt system. The results of the State Commission on the failure of the Soyuz 5 SA capsule to ...more... 8 October 1969 - Soyuz 6/7/8 State Commission. Flight: Soyuz 6, Soyuz 7, Soyuz 8. Kamanin takes General Efimov to see the roll-out of the Soyuz 6 booster. Mishin calls during the tour to ask that Volkov be switched with TsKBEM engineer Grechko on the Soyuz 7 crew. Kamanin refuses at this late date, noting in disgust Mishin is always pushing his staff for flight regardless of how it might affect the mission. Efimov is then taken to see the N1 MIK assembly building, the largest building in Europe. They view the construction of the 104-m-long booster's three stages. Next they go out to the pad, surveying the facility from 120 m up in one of the gantries. Kamanin muses that unless the N1 can be made reliable, the Russians will be 7 to 8 years behind the Americans in planetary and lunar exploration. Later the State Commission meets and fixes the launch schedule for the upcoming flights. Mishin does not raise the issue of Grechko flying to the commission. Shatalov is named commander of the entire three-spacecraft group flight. 1969 November - Soyuz n 18 (cancelled). Assignment: Proposed Prime Crew. Flight: Soyuz n 18. Would have simulated the passive LK lunar lander in an earth-orbit test of the Kontakt docking system. 30 December 1969 - Soyuz 9 planned - Belyayev seriously ill.. Flight: Soyuz 9. The leadership suddenly announces that a solo Soyuz mission of 17 to 20 days is to be flown for Lenin's 100th birthday (April 22). This will seize the space endurance record from the Americans and provide biomedical information for the DOS station, to be flown by the end of the year. Nikolayev and Sevastyanov are being pushed for the job. Kamanin objects, he would prefer Kolodin or Grechko, but Mishin won't hear of it. During December Kamanin, the Shatalov Soyuz 7 crew, Sevastyanov, and their wives vacation at Sochi on the Black Sea. Meanwhile Belyayev becomes serious ill. Surgeons operate to remove 2/3 of his stomach, part of his long intestine, and his appendix. 1 June 1970 - Soyuz 9. Assignment: Backup Crew. Flight: Soyuz 9. Manned flight endurance test. Medico-biological, scientific and technical studies and experiments in prolonged orbital flight. Inconclusive results due to slow sun-oriented rotation of spacecraft to conserve fuel producing motion sickness in cosmonauts. Weather on launch day is 25 deg C temperatures, 5 m/s winds. Kamanin meets with ...more... 15 June 1971 - Soyuz Kontakt and DOS-2 crew assignments made.. Flight: Soyuz 11, Soyuz 12 / DOS 1, Soyuz sn 18, Soyuz sn 19, Soyuz sn 20, Soyuz sn 21, Soyuz sn 22, Soyuz sn 23, DOS 2-1, DOS 2-2, DOS 2-3, DOS 2-4. Crews are formed for six Soyuz (Kontakt?) flights. Soyuz s/n 18 - Filipchenko and Grechko; Soyuz s/n 19 - Lazarev and Makarov; Soyuz s/n 20 - Vorobyov and Yazdovsky; Soyuz s/n 21 - Yakovlelv and Porvatkin; Soyuz s/n 22 - Kovalyonok and Isakov; Soyuz s/n 23 - Shcheglov and [illegible]. Five crews are training for Salyut flights: Crew 1, Leonov, Rukavishnikov, and Kolodin; Crew 2, Gubarev, Sevastyanov, and Voronov. TsKBEM engineer cosmonauts are to be selected will round out the last three crews, but VVS members will be: Crew 3, Klimuk, Artyukhin; Crew 4, Bykovskyy, Alekseyev; Crew 5, Gorbatko. Leonov and Gubarev will have their crews fully ready for Soyuz 12 by 30 June, for a launch date between 15-20 July. Leonov is asking to go to East Germany for two to three days in the first week of July. Kamanin is fully opposed to this - he is thinkng not of his upcoming flight, but the exhibition of his paintings at the Prezdensk Gallery! 1972 Early - Soyuz sn 18 (cancelled). Assignment: Proposed Prime Crew. Flight: Soyuz sn 18. Soyuz s/n 18 would have been the active spacecraft of the first dual launch to test the Kontakt lunar orbit rendezvous system. A crew transfer using the Krechet spacesuit would presumably have taken place. 1972 August - Soyuz 12 / DOS 2 (cancelled). Assignment: Proposed Support Crew. Flight: Soyuz 12 / DOS 2. Planned first mission to the Salyut DOS 2 space station. Cancelled after it was destroyed during launch. 1972 October - Soyuz 13 / DOS 2 (cancelled). Assignment: Proposed Backup Crew. Flight: Soyuz 13 / DOS 2. Planned second mission to the Salyut DOS 2 space station. Cancelled after it was destroyed during launch. 1973 June - Soyuz 12 / DOS 3 (cancelled). Assignment: Proposed Support Crew. Flight: Soyuz 12 / DOS 3. Planned first mission to the Salyut DOS 3 space station (Cosmos 557). Cancelled after it failed in orbit. 1973 September - Soyuz 13 / DOS 3 (cancelled). Assignment: Proposed Backup Crew. Flight: Soyuz 13 / DOS 3. Planned second mission to the Salyut DOS 3 space station (Cosmos 557). Cancelled after it failed in orbit. 27 September 1973 - Soyuz 12. Assignment: Backup Crew. Flight: Soyuz 12. Experimental flight for the purpose of further development of manned space craft Soyuz 7K-T modifications. After the Soyuz 11 disaster, the Soyuz underwent redesign for increased reliability. Two solo test flights of the new design were planned. Crews for the first flight were those already planned for the deferred follow-on missions to the failed DOS 2 and DOS 3 space stations. 10 January 1975 - Soyuz 17. Assignment: Prime Crew. Flight: Soyuz 17. Manned two crew. Docked with Salyut 4. Joint experiments with the Salyut scientific orbital station. 10 February 1975 - Landing of Soyuz 17. Assignment: Return Crew. Flight: Soyuz 17. Soyuz 17 landed at 11:03 GMT, 110 km NE of Tselinograd. 10 December 1977 - Soyuz 26. Assignment: Prime Crew. Flight: Salyut 6 EO-1. Manned two crew. Docked with Salyut 6. Carried Yuri Romanenko, Georgi Grechko to Salyut 6; returned crew of Soyuz 27 to Earth. Conduct of joint experiments with the Salyut-6 scientific station. 19 December 1977 - EVA Salyut 6 EO-1-1. Assignment: EVA Crew. Flight: Salyut 6 EO-1. Inspected Salyut 6 docking port. 16 March 1978 - Landing of Soyuz 27. Assignment: Return Crew. Flight: Salyut 6 EO-1. Soyuz 27 landed at 11:19 GMT with the crew of Grechko and Romanenko aboard. 3 April 1984 - Soyuz T-11. Assignment: Backup Crew. Flight: Salyut 7 EP-3, Salyut 7 EO-3. Manned three crew. Docked with Salyut 7.Transported a Soviet-Indian international crew comprising ship's commander Y V Malyshev, flight engineer G M Strekalov (USSR) and cosmonaut-researcher R Sharma (India) to the SALYUT-7 orbital station to conduct scientific and technical studies and experiments. 17 September 1985 - Soyuz T-14. Assignment: Prime Crew. Flight: Salyut 7 EO-4-2, Salyut 7 EP-5, Salyut 7 EO-4-1a, Salyut 7 EO-4-1b. Docked with Salyut 7. Transported a crew comprising ship's commander V V Vasyutin, flight engineer G M Grechko and cosmonaut-researcher A A Volkov to the Salyut-7 orbital station to conduct scientific and technical studies and experiments. Grechko returned in Soyuz T-13 on 25 September 1985 - emergency return. 26 September 1985 - Landing of Soyuz T-13. Assignment: Return Crew. Flight: Salyut 7 EO-4-2, Salyut 7 EP-5, Salyut 7 EO-4-1a, Salyut 7 EO-4-1b. Soyuz T-13 landed at 09:51 GMT with the crew of Dzhanibekov and Grechko aboard. Bibliography and Further Reading
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