Vitaly Zholobov

Vitaly Mikhaylovich Zholobov (Russian: Виталий Михайлович Жолобов; Ukrainian: Віталій Михайлович Жолобов; born 18 June 1937) is a retired Soviet cosmonaut who flew on Soyuz 21 space flight as the flight engineer, and a former head of Kherson Regional Council in Ukraine.

Vitaly Zholobov
Виталий Жолобов
Віталій Жолобов
Boris Volynov (left) and Vitaly Zholobov on a 1976 Soviet stamp
Governor of Kherson Oblast
In office
11 July 1995 – 7 June 1996
Succeeded byYurii Karasyk
Chairman of the Kherson Oblast Council
In office
7 July 1994 – 27 June 1996
Preceded byMykhailo Kushnerenko
Succeeded byValerii Tretyakov
Born (1937-06-18) 18 June 1937
Zburjevka, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
StatusRetired
NationalityUkrainian
OccupationEngineer
Space career
Cosmonaut
RankColonel, Soviet Air Force
Time in space
49d 06h 23m
SelectionAir Force Group 2
MissionsSoyuz 21

Career

Zholobov joined the space programme from the Soviet Air Force where he held the rank of Colonel-engineer.

His only trip to space involved a two-month stay on the Salyut 5 space station (Soyuz 21 mission). The flight was scheduled to last for 60 days but lasted for only 49. The reason for the cancellation was the detection of a noxious odor on board. Vitaly Zholobov reported to the Mission Control Center that the smell was similar to that of a propellant which was known to be toxic. The Control Center decided to abort the mission to avoid exposing the crew to further risk and because the research and technology programs were already successfully finished. He was in orbit from 6 June 1976 to 24 August 1976.[1]

Although he never flew again, Zholobov stayed in the space programme until 1981 when he resigned to become director of a geological science research group.

Political career

In 1994, he was elected in the Kherson region as the Chairman of the Kherson Regional Council — the head of the Kherson Regional Administration. He held this position until 1996. At this time, his deputy was killed by a hired killer.

From June 12, 1996 to February 4, 1997, he held the position of Deputy General Director of the National Space Agency of Ukraine.

Since 1999, he has been the chairman of the board of the Kyiv organization "Slava", since 2001 he has been the president of the All-Ukrainian association "Slava".

From April 11, 2002 to 2015, he was the president of the Aerospace Society of Ukraine.[2]

Awards

References
  1. Zholobov. Spacefacts.de
  2. "Віталію Михайловичу Жолобову - 83! - Аерокосмічний портал". 25 January 2021. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
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