Jügderdemidiin Gürragchaa
| Jügderdemidiin Gurragchaa Жүгдэрдэмидийн Гүррагчаа | |
|---|---|
 Jügderdemidiin Gurragchaa | |
| Intercosmos Cosmonaut | |
| Nationality |
 Mongolia |
| Status | Living |
| Born |
December 5, 1947 Gurvanbulag, Bulgan, Mongolia |
Other occupation | Flight engineer |
| Rank | Major General |
Time in space | 7d 20h 42m |
| Selection | 1978 Intercosmos Group |
| Missions | Soyuz 39 |
Mission insignia |
 |
Jügderdemidiin Gurragchaa (Mongolian: Жүгдэрдэмидийн Гүррагчаа; Russian: Жугдэрдэмидийн Гуррагча, [ˈʐuɡdʲɪrdʲɪmʲɪdʲɪjn ˈɡurəktɕə], born December 5, 1947) was the first Mongolian in space.[1][2] He was Mongolia's Defense Minister from 2000 to 2004.
Early life and spaceflight
Born in Gurvanbulag soum of Bulgan Province, Mongolia, Gurragchaa studied in Ulaanbaatar to become an aerospace engineer. In 1966 he joined the Mongolian Air Force. Graduated from the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy in 1978.
He was selected as part of the eighth Intercosmos program on March 1, 1978, at time he was in the rank of Major General. His backup was Maidarjavyn Ganzorig. Gurragchaa, along with Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov, departed from Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 22, 1981. They docked with Salyut 6. While in orbit, Dzhanibekov and Gurragchaa carried out experiments on earth science. After 124 orbits and 7 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes in space, Gürragchaa and Dzhanibekov landed 170 km southeast of Dzhezkasgan.
Post-flight
Jügderdemidiin Gurragchaa was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on March 30, 1981.[3] The Zaisan Memorial, a monument south of Ulaanbaatar dedicated to Russian–Mongolian friendship, includes a mural which depicts amongst its scenes Gürragchaa's 1981 flight.
Gurragchaa worked as the chief of staff of air defense for the Mongolian Armed Forces, served the Defense Minister of Mongolia in 2000-2004 and was a member of State Great Khural in 2004-2008. He is married and has two children. He heads the fund for development of bandy in Mongolia.[4]
References
- ↑ OpenLearn Live 30th November 2015
- ↑ Man-In-Space Firsts
- ↑ (Russian) Biography at the website on Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia
- ↑ "Bandy. Silver Mungunhuyag. Most exotic star team at the World Cup Bandy dreams to perform at Olympics". sovsport.ru. 1 February 2008.
External links
- Spacefacts biography of Jügderdemidiin Gurragchaa
- Photo of the Gurragcha panel of the Zaisan Memorial