On February 3, members of the Vladivostok Friends of Russkiy Mir Club went on a special excursion of the military measurement complex situated in the seaside town of Galenki. A Special guest of the cub was Hero of Russia, pilot and cosmonaut Sergei Treschev.
Speaking before the officers of the complex, military personnel and the club members, Treschev congratulated everyone on the Year of Cosmonautics and told interesting stories about from the life of cosmonauts and experiences in orbit. Also speaking at the event was Konstantin Gorlov, headed of the Far East division of the Union of Veterans of Military Measurement Complex. Gorlov noted the significance of the First in Space campaign for everyone on earth.
At the meeting a film was shown about the history of space exploration. It was concluded by a concert performance of club member Valery Novitsky, who performed several songs based on Russian ancient legends.
This was followed by a three-hour tour led by the commander of the complex. The club members learned a lot of interesting facts, discovering new devices and seeing how instruments track objects in orbit. They also learned about the history of the complex and its role in space exploration.
The club members visited the grave of one of the first cosmonauts Gennady Nelyubov, who was buried in the town of Kremovo in the Mikhailovsky district. They held a graveside meeting in honor of this pilot who trained alongside Gagarin and Titov, but died tragically, 40 days before his 32nd birthday.
On February4, the final day of his visit to the Russian Far East, Treschev visited a school for talented children at Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service. Prior to the cosmonaut’s speech, the children were shown a film called First in Space, created as a part of the eponymous campaign. The cosmonaut talked to the children about his sensations from spaceflight, responded to numerous questions and commented on his photographs taken in outer space. The children gazed with surprise on how familiar places can appear from space, almost unrecognizable. The children did not want to let the cosmonaut go, but Sergei Treschev had a long trip back home ahead of him.
The Far East branch of the Russkiy Mir Foundation thanks all its partners, the administration of Vladivostok and the Mikhailovsky district and personally Konstantin Gorlov for the invaluable assistance provided in preparing for and holding these events.
Far East Branch, Russkiy Mir Foundation
