Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez
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| Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez | |
| Intercosmos Cosmonaut | |
|---|---|
| Status | Living |
| Born | January 29, 1942 Guantanamo, Cuba |
| Other occupation | Pilot |
| Time in space | 7d 20h 43m |
| Selection | 1978 Intercosmos Group |
| Missions | Soyuz 38 |
Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (born January 29, 1942) was the first Cuban cosmonaut and the first person from a country in the Western Hemisphere other than the United States to travel into earth orbit. He was also the first Hispanophone and first Black person in space.
Born in Guantánamo,[1] Tamayo graduated from the Cuban Air Force Academy and became a pilot in the Cuban Air Defense Force. He was selected as part of the Soviet Union's seventh Intercosmos program on March 1, 1978. His backup cosmonaut was fellow Cuban José López Falcón.
Tamayo, along with Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko, was launched into space aboard Soyuz 38 from Baikonur Cosmodrome on September 18, 1980, at 19:11 UTC. After docking with Salyut 6, Tamayo and Romanenko conducted experiments in an attempt to find what caused space adaptation syndrome, and perhaps even find a cure. After 124 orbits of the Earth (lasting 7 days, 20 hours and 43 minutes), Tamayo and Romanenko landed 180 km from Dzhezkazgan. The landing was risky, as it was during the night.[2]
Following his career as a cosmonaut, Tamayo was made Director of the Military Patriotic Educational Society (known as "SEPMI"), the Cuban version of the Boy Scouts. After his promotion to Brigadier General, he became Director of International Affairs in the Cuban armed forces.
Since 1980, he has been a Deputy in the Cuban National Assembly representing his home region of Guantánamo.[3]
He has been honored by the Cuban Government for being the first Cuban, the first Caribbean, and the first Latin American to go into orbit. He was awarded the titles of "Hero of the Republic of Cuba" and the "Order of the Bay of Pigs."[3]
Tamayo is married to Maria Lobaina and has two sons, Orlando (born 1968) and Arnaldo (born 1970).
[edit] External links
- "Pilots and aviators of the Cuban Aviation". Aviación Cubana. http://www.urrib2000.narod.ru/Perso3-e.html#tamayo. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
- "Ver el planeta desde la altura" (in Spanish). http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/misc/newsid_4305000/4305772.stm. Retrieved on 2008-09-21.
[edit] References
- ^ "Cosmonaut Biography: Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez". Spacefacts. http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/international/english/tamayo-mendez_arnaldo.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
- ^ "Tamayo-Mendez". Encyclopedia Astronautica. http://www.astronautix.com/astros/tamendez.htm. Retrieved on 2007-11-23.
- ^ a b "Guantánamo - Los candidatos del pueblo". http://www.granma.cubaweb.cu/secciones/candidatos/prov-14.htm. Retrieved on 2009-06-22.
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