Conversation with astronaut: the fear, the icons and subordination

We continue our interview with cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov. Today, he tells us about how to live the astronauts in orbit, how to get along in a confined space, and that inspires them to the conquest of space.





Meeting with Pavel Vladimirovich was due to the organizers of the festival Irkutsk robotic Robosib . Questions asked users Learn , Geektimes < / a> and subscribers group " Deep Space " Vkontakte.

Earlier we learned biomedical details of life in space , and today the conditional topic: "Psychology".

A little about Paul Vladimirovich On account of Paul V. three expeditions into space: one on "World" in 1997 was, and the two on the ISS in 2006 and 2013. In the open space astronaut worked for more than 38 hours, 7 outputs, including participation in the aftermath of столкновения ship "Progress" to the station "Mir" in 1997.

Before becoming a cosmonaut, in NGOs "Energy" Paul was engaged in automated systems and the interaction with them crews participated, including in the "Buran".

The accumulated experience and knowledge of 34 years of work Pavel Vinogradov in the space industry, are invaluable to the younger generation of space enthusiasts and anyone who decides to link their lives to the conquest of the universe.


About the fear

In space scary? I>

Firstly, no big deal. This is terrible, that does not fly. Second, what is a "scary"? Scared - this is when you do not know, do not know what to do. But, really, really there were cases when it became terribly. For example, in the first flight, when at work in the open space, hung their weekends halyards on soft rail ... And he was divorced. And I watch the corner of my eye as I have one halyard and second Neznamov flies where. At this point, it became absolutely everything is bad.

[ Paul talks about his first exit, when the crew of the station "Mir" had to liquidate the consequences of the collision of the truck "Progress" module "Spectrum". Halyards astronauts attach to the body of the station. I>]



But this moment. If you sit and think about two millimeters aluminum shell that separates you from the vacuum, then fly does not make sense. This is the professional: pilot scared to lift the plane? Probably not. Scary when the plane starts to break down, to fall, to lose the wings ...

If any of the instructions, in case a member of the crew comes panic or quarrel? I>

There Is. Big thick book with us where painted astronauts Code of Conduct, the Code of Conduct of the crew, and there is everything. What rights does a commander, he can do up to physical impact.

That is, you can twist and lock in the toilet? I>

Yes I Am. The face can be. That is, there is not written, loyal and legally vaguely, but the essence of this.

I heard the story seems to be about a Canadian astronaut, who had controlled arm and body punches station or something. In general, something happened there, he decided that the situation is hopeless, panicked, almost cried and refused to respond to any treatment for it. Then it just locked up in the place where he sat and turned off the heating. When he began to freeze, he came to himself and has become more adequately assess the situation. I>

Well, this is the tale of course, we have no such compartments or rooms where you can lock up and lower the temperature, ie refrigerators. Perhaps he was upset. We have had many cases of collision, the Canadian arm gouge on the station, not only Canadians, but also Americans. That is, it is a normal working environment. Well insulting happens, blooper some admit. But I do not remember a single case when a person falls into a trance. Why for? Iron is iron and there.

About the subordination

Is there a regulation of submission of the crew? Are all on the commander, or have the opportunity to vote? I>

There are clearly painted responsibilities, not just the commander, but in general each crew member. We have the so-called responsible, or, as they call Americans, officers segment. They are responsible, for example, Russian segment, American segment. Is what the Americans again conventionally called ... we responsible, the Americans - the officer on Science for example. Of course, as in any complex system, the functional responsibilities are assigned and unconditionally. But there are different commanders have a different style of leadership crew. I was always of the opinion, as commander of the crew, I believe these people with whom I work, with whom I flew. I do not know them half a year, and the year, we have already passed all that is possible, I know that everyone can, I believe it is important not to interfere with the commander of the crew. If you are confident in the carriage, it does not bother him. Of course there are situations in which you begin to intervene, when you see that can be taken is not that wrong, is not the best solution. But then it may be at the level of hints, tips. Honestly, I never in my two commanding the expedition had not pounding, screaming Tram hullabaloo, do like this, and not otherwise. Not once this was not. Yes, advised of something, but said there Peter, Manya, Sasha, come here do so because, for something. And never had any relationship, they say that you inflate hazing. Therefore, do not know if I'm so lucky. I know there have been other crews, there were the relations differently, were different ...

While yes, here we had when we Sasha Misurkin back, we had a failure display panel, and in general, there was a situation where I made the decision. Of course, I consulted with his flight engineer, quickly exchanged views and discussed, and I made the decision alone, because according to our board documentation, it must have been to start doing the proper procedure reboot remote processors, it has been downhill, overload, it was clear that the ship is proceeding normally, he managed, consistent with the expected dynamics. Yes, we have a number of options on the remote, but there are parameters that can be monitored this trend, and basically we went contrary to instructions, to what was written. And I decided - everything, nothing to touch, move on. And so it was. But nothing of this kind: "Do not you dare, do not touch." I asked Sasha angular velocities, he says: "Commander, everything is normal." Overload? "Established, is normal." The trajectory of descent? "Yes, there is, within the corridor." Well, is not there something. But I have here a style of work, and I do not accept the other.



I just was busy with all sorts of flight cases involving "Buran", and, unfortunately, there were tragic examples, that this, as I believe, improper interaction with the crew. When the commander said, "Fuck you all nafig, I'm here most important, the most intelligent." And people died as a result, and so on. Such examples are many. This is what is called a lack of coordination between the crew, not even the fact that the lack of coordination, this non-perception of the commander of his crew, and the crew of his commander, respectively. I think this is the hardest and most terrible.

You said "people were killed in the case of the Buran". There's during training or testing? Or whatever it was? I>

No, it's a different situation. This was a Tu-134 flying to Arkhangelsk is not associated in any way with Buranovskie program, it's just flying crew, who got into a situation, and when the navigator and co-pilot, said one, and the commander said, "No, I do both, because I'm in charge here, I'm smarter than you. " That is, it was a human, psychological incompatibility of the crew, which led to a severe crash, killing many people. And, unfortunately, or fortunately, the commander, who was guilty of this, he was still alive. Here is a sentence for life.
Buranovskie guys, so many died for various other reasons. This was in preparation. They were completely different people, flew completely under other programs.

On the difficulties of

What are the three most significant difficulties on a long flight. First there is the question about the complexity of interactions in the confined space of several people, and basically three major difficulties. If there is a complexity of psychological compatibility, or difficult to fight the urge to home potatoes with herring? .. I>

Well, it's not difficult, I do not know ... It's hard to single out any difficulties. Maybe I'm just so lucky in life, I had a great crew, I have never had difficulty communicating, even when the six of us flew last year ... I do not know. And people do not bother, because the station is so big, everyone is busy with their own affairs. When we Jeff Williams, flew nearly three months together, on the same station, we have not seen each other for hours. We had breakfast together in the morning, then scattered to different parts of the station, then only connection I "Ale, Jeff, where are you?". "Yes, I am here, alive and well, let's go on." That is to say you're fed up with so much that I can not see you - this was not.

Pro leisure orbit

what to do in your spare time? And whether it? I>

There Is. If put to sleep 8 and a half hours, and oversleep 4, then 4 hours and a half - have free time. In my opinion, the second flight on our "World" was a very interesting library, just phenomenal, and to be honest, I'm sorry that it was not taken and burned. There is, for example, were the author of the book Vysotsky. Unique books were. With signatures autographs. Unfortunately, they were burned. Now of course such an abundance of information. You are charged on a flight terabytes of video, music, books what you want. Set in electronic form, but there are magazines that are sent, « Space News », for example. Therefore, to be honest, I've always had a bit of other interests, and in the second flight I currently selected three books, I have them just below his cabin rezinochku Here I am, they just think, read, and took himself a few films that wanted look. For example, "Esenina" when he first came out. We then with Jeff Williams flew together, well, we do, "Esenina" I do not remember how many episodes we watched it a month and a half. There was simply no time. This is mainly done over dinner. When you sit, eat, then we have a great big TV was the display.

By the way about the magazines, which of the Russian carry the station? I then selling that information for the multi-million advertising department:) i>

Definitely "Space News" regularly come, "Russian Space", "Popular Mechanics" Come on, I asked and sent,

That is not some kind of subscription, and all at will? I>

Yes, all at will, there is a special service of psychological support crew in MCC is doing. I am here to Chukotka sent some papers, "Chukotka North" as something like this.

That is the only constant "Russian Space" and "Space News", and everything else that ... i>

Constantly, probably yes, maybe even some magazines ... In my opinion, "Around the World" came to us, but it's something that you ask - and then bring.

Pro fiction

Do you read fiction, if so - what, if not, what books prefer? I>

Honestly age probably has another because threw read fiction years, probably in the 18-19, simply because there is nothing good ... Yes, did not appear, and read all beliberdyatinu type of transformation-retransformation human beings somewhere around the stars ... I do not know . I was fascinated by science fiction at Belyaeva, which could cause the brain to think. The current, today, it's not even a fantasy, it is a fantasy, and completely at polushizofrenii. I do not know, it takes people, I do not take a drop. What are you reading? .. Yes, now more digging through some things related to the history, maybe the history of Russia, the history of Rome ...



This scientific books or art? I>

And Art. Artistic good ... probably 50/50. Very takes psychology, in a professional plan, the relationship of small groups ... Even Freud once worshiped, I liked very much, just a phenomenal guy (laughs). Somehow I'm treated polufilosofskim comrades always skeptical, but here - I like it. Like the fact that somehow takes brains, not just that you have read, consumed, just chew the stuffing and he fell into nowhere. When you read here and nothing you have any brains, either inside or in the shower does not stay if you do not touch it, and the books, that's fantasy, somehow not very touching.

About the excitement of space

Continuing the theme of fiction and reading, somehow influenced science fiction in the desire to become an astronaut, or a desire to work with the cosmos? And the second question, when you hit the space felt there any difference between what was expected and that there was, so that it became a reality? I>

The real space is much better and more beautiful than any fiction (laughs). I do not know, I can not say that I was some kind of fiction influenced the way that I was eager to astronauts, probably not. Just when I was a kid growing up, flew Gagarin, Titov, Komarov ... What can I say. 71 th year, Dobrovolsky, Volkov, boys, and here I only go to college. Of course, it's not a fantasy, it was a completely different life.

The reality was better than fiction? I>

Yes I Am. I've always enjoyed watching and engineering business, I was always missiles. As a child, let them in hundreds of pieces, I had this interesting. Grew up at the airport, so the aircraft may not be the first, second love. Wanted to be a pilot, but it happened, came to the commission, was ill and I said, "Boy, do not Tschudi, enrolled in another institution, until now proboleesh and leave the army in August-September. Do unto other institution. So I was not able to become a pilot. Therefore, I can not say that I read a lot of fiction and went to the launch site.

One can understand, then the space program was at its peak.

About the pride

That's the question psychologically filosofsoky: During the flight, there is more pride in humanity, or pride in their country? I>

I do not know, never felt (laughs). No, probably both. Because when on April 12 or birthday wishes you the President of Russia, makes contact, there 'Pavel Vladimirovich, Tram hullabaloo, thank you that your crew ... ". Or when it comes to Patriarch Alexy, Easter, my life did not have to talk to him, and here he is forty minutes to communicate with us. Simply migrate to this man. Or, I do not know, the American President congratulated ... Well this level. Angela Merkel, "Hey guys, you know, I do not want to talk to you as Chancellor, I'm an astrophysicist! I'm a physicist, say, as there ... "Certainly pride! Pride in yourself that you there presidents communicate, or pride in the country that even Merkel said "Guys, I'm so proud that I'm here with you all on one screen." And she was there on a giant screen - half of it, half of us (laughs). Here. Certainly pride for the country, and partly for themselves of course.

That is somehow humanity in principle, this does not feel that all mankind globally? I>

No, it's all there begin to perceive differently, because the borders are not visible, can not see anything. And when you look, you think, "God, that here to share? Iraq, Iran, Kuwait ... Guys, yes we normally you are flying, 10 seconds. And you are fighting there for years. What divide? Nothing to share. " I know the finger, little finger prikroesh window, and there is not seen this Kuwait. That is a different understanding. Generally, space, life, the Earth seems so tiny, so I do not know. Well, in general, until the head falls there something serious, some second Yucatan befall America, then all at once become brothers and sisters.



About the icons

As for the Orthodox Christianity and asked why the icons on the orbit, and the second question, how do you feel about the ceremony of consecration of the rocket? I>

I am not in any way. I'm not a religious person, although my grandmother when I was in secret from parents baptized in infancy. Because my dad worked in the Party, he served in the SMERSH before. What sort of religion? No. I do not know, I am very tolerant attitude to this, I believe that if a person is at least as it helps to live in peace, in peace, I generally do not mind, I'm for. What the icons there, I do not know, I calmly to this attitude. But is there some things, such as when we started Tolay Solovyov, was a terrible war in the Balkans, and the Patriarch gave us a golden cross, he, in my opinion, is still flying, consecrated. And a small icon, in my opinion, the Sofia-Dame, which was the patroness of the Balkans, it has always bred these wars. Well, until this icon to fly with us, ended all the Balkan wars. Here it is, a coincidence? Maybe coincidence. I do this perfectly calm attitude. We have a specific regulation which says that we should not stick out any religion ...



About the business

Another question is, about the business: whether to stipulate in contracts ban on the sale of items and personal items flown in space? I>

Is strictly forbidden. We do not do that.

That is no commerce, under any circumstances? I>












Yes I Am. Because they are simply very much.














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