Soviet-era cosmonaut Vladimir Aksyonov, who flew into space twice — once aboard a refurbished spacecraft and then on the first crewed test of a new model — has died at the age of 89.
Aksyonov's death on Tuesday (April 9) was announced by Roscosmos, Russia's federal space corporation.
"On behalf of the Roscosmos state corporation and on my own behalf, I express deep condolences in connection with the death of the twice Hero of the Soviet Union, pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR, lieutenant colonel-reserve engineer Vladimir Viktorovich Aksyonov," said Yury Borisov, director general of the agency. "His life's path was filled with honest service to the Motherland, creative work and dedication to his chosen cause."
Selected to become a cosmonaut with the Soviet Union's fifth group of civilian flight engineers, Aksyonov lifted off on the first of his two spaceflights on board Soyuz 22, a spacecraft that first served as the backup to the Soviet side of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), the first mission flown with the United States. Instead of being outfitted with a docking collar, the capsule carried a specialized camera.
Related: Apollo-Soyuz Test Project: Russians, Americans meet in space
