RUSSIA’s most decorated cosmonaut yesterday said he always wanted to come to Cyprus after looking upon the island from space.
Colonel Alexander Volkov is on a week-long visit as part of the 50-year celebrations of the first artificial satellite being launched.
Along with Dr Alexander Martynov, who was Director of the Ballistics Department at Russia’s Mission Control Centre for 25 years, the pair have been invited to give a series of lectures next week about their experiences by the Fakas Astronomical Institute in Nicosia.
“Now that I’m actually here, it’s a great honour and I’ve found the Cypriot people to be very hospitable and I thank them,” said Volkov.
He added that during his total of 391 days in space, he was involved in over 200 experiments. “These have already helped in the fields of medicine, astrophysics, computing and meteorology, as well as with locating the earth’s natural resources,” he explained.
When asked how he felt the first time he saw the Earth from space, Volkov smiled.
“I was told what to expect from my training, but nothing could prepare me for the real thing. I actually felt slightly afraid but very proud and happy at the same time.”
He also gave an insight into how it felt to be propelled skywards at huge speeds.
“There was a tremendous pressure over my entire body, as I was subjected to forces of around three G on launch. After around ten minutes, I felt the sensation of weightlessness and it was amazing,”
At the age of 13, Volkov witnessed Yuri Gagarin become the first man in space and this inspired him to become a cosmonaut. He joined the Russian space programme and became a test pilot before realising his dream.
The Soviet Union broke up in 1991. At the time, Volkov was orbiting Earth on the Mir Space Station with Sergei Krikalev. They were dubbed “the last citizens of the USSR.”
Having gone into orbit as Soviet citizens, they returned to Earth as Russian citizens.
Dr Alexander Martynov, who was directly responsible for landing space vehicles on the Moon, Mars and Venus as well as the safe return of manned spacecraft to Earth, said that, “man has always shown a great interest in space and the planets” and urged young children to show an interest in the great beyond.
“I’m repeatedly asked whether I believe there is life elsewhere in the universe and we are continuously trying to find proof.
“My personal opinion is that simple life forms probably exist somewhere in our solar system and that there is intellectual life somewhere in other star systems. However, we need the time and the tools to establish this.”
Both cosmonauts were then asked whether they believed extra-terrestrials had ever visited Earth.
“There is no concrete evidence of this, but we simply cannot say for sure,” they said.
The duo will be lecturing at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre on Monday evening and at Limassol Town Hall the following night. Welcoming them will be the town’s mayors.
Yesterday, Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou welcomed them to the Municipality and said that they, “have given a great service to mankind.”
