Vladimir Vasyutin

Vladimir Vladimirovich Vasyutin (Russian:Влaдимиp Bлaдимиpoвич Васютин, born March 8, 1952, Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, died July 19, 2002) was a Soviet cosmonaut.

He was selected as a cosmonaut on December 1, 1978 (TsPK-6). He retired on February 25, 1986.

Vasyutin was assigned to the TKS program for a new generation of manned military spacecraft that would be docked to the existing Salyut space stations.

He flew as the Commander on Soyuz T-14 to the Salyut 7 space station, for part of the long-duration mission Salyut 7 EO-4. He spent 64 days 21 hours 52 minutes in space. The TKS module was already docked to the Salyut and Vasyutin was due to lead an extended programme of military space experiments. However Vasyutin fell ill soon after arriving at the station and was unable to perform his duties. Although he was originally scheduled to have a six month stay aboard Salyut 7, his illness forced the crew to make an emergency return to Earth after only two months. His illness is said to have been caused by a prostate infection, which had manifested itself as inflammation and a fever.

He graduated from Higher Air Force School and from Test Pilot School, both in Kharkov. He was a Lieutenant General in the Soviet Air Forces, and took cosmonaut basic training in August 1976. He retired for medical reasons. He later became Deputy Faculty Chief, VVA - Gagarin Air Force Academy, Monino.

He was married and had two children. He died of cancer.

He had been awarded:

• Hero of the Soviet Union;
• Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR;
• Order of Honour (Russian Federation);
• Order of Lenin;
• Medal "For Strengthening Military Cooperation" (USSR);
• Medal "For Strengthening Military Cooperation" (Russian Federation Defence Ministry);
• Medal "Brotherhood in Arms" (Polish People's Republic).