RIP Konstantin Feoktistov - November 23, 2009
Russian spacecraft designer and cosmonaut Konstantin Feoktistov died at the age of 83 on Saturday.
Feoktistov was one of three men to take part in the first group space flight in 1964 and was the first civilian in space. His presence was disapproved of by the government Politburo as he was not a Communist Party member.
“I had many enemies who did not want me to make that flight,” he said in 1998 (Boston Globe, via LA Times obituary). “Once we took off, I remember thinking ‘That’s it. No one can get me off this spaceship now!’ For me, it was a thrill to ride that beast.”
Feoktistov helped design not only the Voskhod craft that carried him into space but also the iconic Sputnik.
“The memory of Konstantin Petrovich Feoktistov will forever remain in our hearts,” said the Russian space agency in a statement.
Image: 1964 Soviet Union 4 kopeks stamp featuring Feoktistov / via wikipedia.
