Message about Tereshkova. Valentina Tereshkova lives in the Moscow region and is engaged in social and political activities in Russia

On March 6, the legendary Valentina Tereshkova celebrates her birthday. She turns 80 years old. From the very morning, Valentina Vladimirovna is congratulated by relatives and friends. Recall that the world's first flight of a female cosmonaut with the call sign "Seagull" took place from June 16 to 19, 1963. Then the ship "Vostok-6", in which Tereshkova was, circled the Earth 48 times. During the start, Valentina uttered a slightly modified quote from Mayakovsky's Cloud in Pants.

"Hey! Heaven, take off your hat! I'm coming to you," the woman said.

While in orbit, Valentina kept a logbook and took pictures of the horizon, which were then used in atmospheric research. The difficulties that arose during the flight did not prevent the woman from landing safely and becoming one of the heroines Soviet Union.

After Valentina returned home, women did not travel into space for about twenty years. This is associated with the ban of Sergei Korolev, who decided not to risk the health of the fair sex. Years later, the work of Valentina Tereshkova was continued by Svetlana Savitskaya, who flew in 1982.

On the birthday of Valentina Tereshkova, Roscosmos launched a special promotion. The department encourages everyone to write a congratulation to the birthday girl and accompany it with the hashtag #seagullanniversary. A video message to Valentina Vladimirovna has already been recorded by cosmonauts from the ISS.

Russian President Vladimir Putin presented Valentina Tereshkova with two gifts - the sculpture "The Seagull Lands on the Water" and the painting "The Seagulls over the Volga". The head of state personally congratulated the female cosmonaut and thanked her for serving the Fatherland.

DIFFICULT FATE

Valentina Tereshkova was born in 1937 in Yaroslavl region. Her father was a tractor driver and died in the Finno-Ugric war, and her mother worked at a textile factory. Little Valentine had ear for music and played the domra. In 1953, she completed seven classes. To help the family, the girl went to work at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant, and later moved to the Krasny Perekop technical fabric factory. The future heroine of the country continued her education at the school of working youth.

Since 1959, Tereshkova has been engaged in parachuting. After Valentina graduated from the correspondence department of the technical school of light industry, she became a member of the All-Union Leninist Communist Youth Union.

“The road she had, of course, was difficult. In early childhood, his father died. The mother left three children. There was nothing to feed. There was nowhere to put on clothes. And that's what got her going. She graduated early from a technical school, a seven-year school. I went to DOSAAF and began to jump. Everywhere I was looking for somewhere to express myself somehow, ”Alexey Leonov, a friend of Valentina Tereshkova, told reporters.

The first female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova during trainingThe first female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova during training// Photo: ITAR-TASS

In 1962, Sergei Korolev decides to organize the first flight of a woman into space and begins the search for suitable candidates. One of the contenders is Valentina Tereshkova. According to journalists, in those days, preference was given to paratroopers, because the astronaut needed to be able to eject after the descent vehicle slowed down in the atmosphere. In March of the same Tereshkova becomes a student of special training courses.

SECRET FLIGHT

Valentina Tereshkova hid her responsible task from her family and friends. During the flight of a woman, a tragedy could occur, so she signed a non-disclosure agreement. “Mom, flying to the spaceport, I wrote several letters and asked those who remained at the Training Center to send them in a couple of days,” the woman later shared.

On the day of Tereshkova's flight, news of a landmark event for the country was announced on TV. Neighbors of Elena Fedorovna, the mother of a female cosmonaut, immediately shared important news with her.

Later, Valentina's parent met her at the airport. There were also members of the government headed by Nikita Khrushchev. Tereshkova remembers that moment like now.

“And suddenly I hear - my mother says so loudly: everything - my daughter deceived me. I stopped for a second ... Well, how, mom is standing nearby, crying. Then there were hugs and congratulations... Nikita Sergeevich Khrushchev and Alexei Nikolaevich Kosygin approached. They say to their mother: “Elena Feodorovna, it’s still in the name of a big secret that she didn’t tell you anything.” Mom often later recalled this incident, that I deceived her. But this is already, you know, - so, in a kind, motherly way, ”said Valentina Vladimirovna.

It is worth noting that Tereshkova considers herself indebted to her mother in many ways. According to Valentina Vladimirovna, it was a close person who became the reason why she decided to become an astronaut. The Hero of the Soviet Union calls Elena Fedorovna his devoted friend and helper. Her death was a real tragedy for Tereshkova.

“I have lived with my mother all my life. And for me, her death - and my mother was a seriously ill person, suffered three strokes - if I say that it was a blow, it would be too soft. I could never forgive the Earth for taking my mother away from me,” she says.

ON A VOICE FROM DEATH

A few decades after the flight of Valentina Tereshkova, it turned out that she could have died in space. An emergency situation occurred on board the Vostok-6. The problem was that the ship's hardware had been programmed incorrectly.

“There was an emergency situation that I noticed on the very first day. I reported it to Sergei Pavlovich Korolev and Yuri Alekseevich Gagarin. The mistake was that on the descent, the program was not planned for landing, but for lifting orbits, ”the woman shared.

// Photo: Vladimir Savostyanov / ITAR-TASS

The astronaut immediately reported the error and received new data. This helped her avoid trouble and land safely. After Valentina Tereshkova returned, Sergei Korolev approached her and asked her not to talk about what had happened. “So I kept this secret for 30 years,” the woman said during a press conference held in 2013.

DREAMS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE HEROINE

In an interview, Valentina Vladimirovna admitted that she always wanted to fly to Mars. “It was the dream of the first detachment of astronauts - a flight to the Red Planet. Oh, if only I could make it happen! Ready to fly there and not even come back!” she said.

Despite being one of the most cherished desires women did not come true, she does not lose optimism. At 80, Tereshkova looks stunning and full of energy. According to the astronaut, she receives a large number of messages from fans who wish her happiness and health.

“Respect and kindness of people are the feelings that I have been experiencing for more than 50 years after the flight. I also get a lot of emails. In each letter or joy - they invite you to visit, they got an apartment, the child recovered. Or gratitude - for the fact that I was able to help someone in purchasing medicines, to overcome some difficulties, troubles ... This also gives me strength, ”Valentina Vladimirovna shares.

// Photo: Frame of the First Channel film “I always look at the stars”

The beloved grandmother is also supported by grandchildren - 21-year-old Alexei and 12-year-old Andrey. They call loved one only by name. The eldest heir to the daughter of Valentina Vladimirovna served in the army and receives higher education at MSU. As for Alexei, he is still at school. Tereshkova says that he enjoys playing the violin.

“If my grandmother sets a goal, she will definitely achieve it. I think that this is a very useful character trait… Not every woman is able to make a solo flight into space,” says Alexei, grandson of Valentina Vladimirovna.

// Photo: Frame of the First Channel film “I always look at the stars”

At the moment, Valentina Tereshkova is working as deputy chairman of the committee on federal structure and local self-government in the State Duma. About what the legendary female astronaut is doing now, filmed documentary Channel One "I always look at the stars."

Based on the materials of the TV channel "Culture", « Komsomolskaya Pravda» , RIA Novosti and Channel One.

Name: Valentina Tereshkova

Age: 80 years old

Place of Birth: Yaroslavl region

Growth: 169 cm

The weight: 68 kg

Activity: The world's first female astronaut

Family status: widow

Valentina Tereshkova - biography

On June 16, 1963, Vostok-6 launched from Baikonur. On board was an unusual cosmonaut: for the first time in the history of mankind, a woman, Valentina Tereshkova, flew alone to the stars.

In the early 1960s, Soviet people were literally sick of space. And when the Yaroslavl flying club began to select girls for the women's cosmonaut corps, there was no shortage of applicants. But luck did not smile at many - among them was the weaver Valentina Tereshkova.

22-year-old Valya came to the Yaroslavl flying club not alone, but with her friends. The girls did not so much dream of the sky as they planned to find pilot husbands for themselves. The feeling with which Valentina stepped into the heavenly void for the first time captivated her forever. The first parachute jump was followed by the second, third, twentieth. By the time the officer from Star City arrived at the club, Tereshkova had almost a hundred jumps under her belt. The requirements for admission to the detachment were simple - age up to 30 years, height up to 170 cm, weight up to 70 kg. Five girls passed the final selection, including Valentina.

Candidates began to intensively prepare for special programs developed by physicians. Initially, Korolev planned the simultaneous flight of two ships, with a woman cosmonaut in each. The designer believed that in the event of a catastrophe of one, the second ship would fulfill a historic mission. However, the reliability of the ships turned out to be quite high, and the need for duplication disappeared.

According to medical and sports characteristics, Valentina was a clear outsider from the top five. She didn't take it very well. certain types tests, and the same Solovieva had many times more jumps. But the commission in its choice relied on many criteria: social origin, social position, ability to speak. The latter was necessary so that the new symbol of the USSR could incendiary tell people about the advantages of socialism.

As a result, the weaver Tereshkova, whose father died in the Soviet-Finnish war, was recognized the best option. Later, evil tongues claimed that Tereshkova's candidacy was "pushed" by cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolaev, who was caring for her. However, there is no confirmation of this. In addition, Yuri Gagarin voted for Valentina. It was he who came up with the girl's call sign - "Seagull". In turn, Korolev promised the rest of the girls in the squad that they would all eventually go to space.

Valentina Tereshkova - on the verge of death

Yuri Gagarin also invented the tradition of saying the catchphrase at the start. Valentina knew about this and uttered Mayakovsky's slightly modified words: “Hey! Sky! Take off your hat! As General Kamanin, who trained the cosmonauts before the launch, recalled: “Everyone who saw Tereshkova during the preparation of the launch and launch of the ship into orbit, who listened to her reports on the radio, unanimously declared:“ She had a better launch than Popovich and Nikolaev. "Yes, I am very I am glad that I was not mistaken in choosing the first female cosmonaut.”

However, everything did not go so smoothly. Professor Yazdovsky, a specialist in space medicine, said that due to the peculiarities of female physiology, Valentina should have been sent into orbit at least a day earlier. But the start was delayed. “She severely limited her movements. She sat almost motionless. She clearly showed changes in the state of health of a vegetative nature, ”the professor recalled. But that wasn't the worst part of that flight.

Due to a mistake by the engineers, Valentina almost died. Despite the malaise, she courageously withstood 48 revolutions around the Earth. For three days the girl was sick, and yet she clearly followed all the commands, kept a logbook and photographed the layers of the atmosphere. Finally, the MCC gave the command to descend, for which the ship had to be reoriented in manual mode.

But, no matter how hard Tereshkova tried, Vostok-6 only turned in the opposite direction and increased the radius of the orbit. On Earth, they became worried: the ship might not return. Automation came to the rescue, and Vostok-6 successfully went downhill. However, the troubles didn't end there. Instead of the planned landing in Kazakhstan, the space capsule crashed in the Altai Territory, narrowly missing a lake.

Local shepherds were the first to find the device: it scared away their flock. The men helped Tereshkova take off her spacesuit, and the collective farmers who came to the rescue brought her a tracksuit. In gratitude, Valentina distributed all the "space" food to the peasants, and she herself fortified herself with potatoes, black bread and kvass. One of the old women naively asked her: “Daughter, have you seen God?” “I saw everything, there is no God,” the Komsomol member answered cheerfully.

Only a couple of hours later, a helicopter arrived with soldiers who cordoned off the landing site. The cosmonaut herself was immediately taken to the village of Nizhnechumanka. From there, Valentina reported to Khrushchev: “The task of the party and government has been completed!” Her relatives learned about this flight only by radio, like the entire Soviet people.

Valentina Tereshkova - biography of personal life

After the flight, Valentina Tereshkova became what they had planned "above", a legendary person who glorified the Soviet way of life. Like Yuri Gagarin, she took part in speeches and conferences, she was awarded orders and prizes in many countries of the world. But this fame also had a downside.

Upon learning that cosmonaut No. 3 Andriyan Nikolaev was not indifferent to Valentina, Khrushchev ordered them to be married. Doctors also approved this marriage: they wanted to see what kind of offspring a man and a woman who had been in space would give. The experiment was successful - a year later, Valentina gave birth to a healthy daughter, Lena, although the pregnancy was difficult.

Tereshkova compensated for her personal drama with social work. She was a deputy of the Supreme Soviet, headed the committee of Soviet women, served in the Air Force and was engaged in scientific work. Only in the early 1980s did she meet "her" man - Yuli Shaposhnikova, who headed the Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics.

Unlike the assertive Nikolaev, he was ideally suited to Tereshkova in terms of personal qualities. In 1982, the lovers registered their marriage, which lasted until the death of Julius in 1999. And shortly before that, in 1995, Valentina Vladimirovna received the rank of major general, becoming the first female general in Russia.

The first female astronaut has something to hide. That's why we'll never see a candid book published. Valentina Vladimirovna About Me. It's a pity. If she wrote at least half of the whole truth, the memoirs could become a world-class bestseller.

The point is not only in the sensational marriage with Nikolaev and not only in their divorce. When a famous person For most of his life he hides from journalists, you will inevitably think: why? After all, Tereshkova also had a happy, according to her, marriage that lasted 20 years; daughter became a doctor, gave birth to two grandchildren ... In the end, the first woman cosmonaut will forever remain the first, and this is also a kind of happiness. However, a moratorium on questions about Valentina Vladimirovna was established by her daughter Elena and former (now deceased) spouse: Cosmonaut No. 3 Andrian Nikolaev.

With pleasure, they once talked about the famous countrywoman, except perhaps in her native Yaroslavl region. Now, even there, there are almost no witnesses of Tereshkova's non-stellar life. The more valuable are the memories of her friends and relatives.

Born on the stove

Finding the village of Maslennikovo, where Valentina Tereshkova was born, was not easy. We went to see her grandmother's house - we got stuck. Yes, and the hut, where Vladimir Aksenovich and Elena Feodorovna Tereshkov the second daughter Valya was born, did not survive. Even the Cosmos Museum in the village of Nikulskoye was closed: apparently, the building was built hastily, and it quickly fell into disrepair. Then it was most likely restored. But from March 1 to June 15 this year, the museum is closed again: a re-exposition. Perhaps, on the day of the 55th anniversary of the flight, a heroine is expected here.

- Valentina's father died in Finnish when she was 2 years old, but she remembers well how he put her on a horse, - said the former director of the museum Galina Agrafonova.- Vladimir Aksenovich was very handsome, and Valya was called daddy's daughter. She and paternal grandmother Matryona Titovna I loved her very much, often came to her later from Yaroslavl.

Valentina Tereshkova (center) among her friends. 1956 Photo: RIA Novosti

They said that the girl Valya was stubborn. She was not afraid to go into the forest alone, she knew all the mushroom and berry places. Somehow, already in Moscow, Valentina Vladimirovna admitted that Maslennikovo was called that because there was a lot of oil around. She was feisty, bold. At the age of 7, she asked to be put on a horse, fed the animal from her palm. She jumped into the pond not only as a soldier, but also upside down, which aroused the envy of the boys. Later, in Yaroslavl, she did the same from the Perekop bridge. And it's 15 meters to the water...

“In the summer, we all gathered at my grandmother’s in Maslennikovo,” she recalled. cousin Tereshkova Tamara Kabanova, living at Chebokovo station. - Valya usually came from Yaroslavl with older sister Lucy, their brother Volodya rarely visited. What did they play? Now I don't remember. Then there was nothing, not even dolls. And when they grew up, they helped their grandmother: clean up the cattle, in the garden. When Valya was at school, she had a camera, she loved to take pictures ... Many years later, she and I went to my grandmother at the cemetery. Only there was little time for conversations: with her, a bunch of bosses always came. In general, cousins ​​often turned to her.

The story of the acquaintance of Tereshkova's parents is amazing. Volodya came to the Prokladovo farm to get married. But the girl did not like that he was from the peasantry, the clothes were rather poor, and she refused him. And the girlfriend standing next to Lena Kruglova admitted: "Well, in vain, I would love to go for him." The groom was not taken aback and immediately proposed to his girlfriend.

After the wedding, his mother Matrena Titovna suggested that the young people separate. We bought an old house: Valentina was born there. On the stove Having accepted the baby, the midwife wrapped the future cosmonaut in a sheepskin coat.

“There were no kindergartens then,” said Galina Agrafonova. - Valya's mother worked on a collective farm: a milkmaid on a farm. Accurate, principled. Didn't like gossip. The children helped with the housework. It even seems to me that Valya went to school not at the age of 7, but at 8: she sat in nannies with Volodya for a year.

Athletes-skydivers Valentina Tereshkova and V. Girs at the Yaroslavl airfield in 1959 pic.twitter.com/eqEJ95jJF7

— History in Photos (@RussiainPhotos) June 16, 2016

Mother did not allow me to study after school

Elena Fedorovna had a hard time. After the war, she and her children went to Yaroslavl to live with her mother. They lived in poverty. On a yellowed photograph in Tereshkov's school museum without a white apron. For many years she wore a faded old twill dress. The class teacher then wrote in the description: “The family is financially poorly provided, they live in a small room in a private house, from furniture there is only a bed, a table, a few chairs.”

“The guys wore potatoes, bread in handkerchiefs, milk in bottles,” the former director of school No. 32, where Tereshkova studied, picked up the conversation, May Nyushina. - More prosperous parents gave a testicle. The delicacy was duran, or cake. Sunflower, hemp. If linen - generally happiness! The ink was poured into a bottle, the pen was cherished like the apple of an eye. Nevertheless, Valya studied well. In physics there were fours, she knew decently mathematics, she loved history very much. At first there were disagreements with the Russian, but then everything worked out.

“Modest, but demanding,” said the class teacher Tamara Klimova and suggested that the guys choose Valya as a headman. Tereshkova played the dombra in the school orchestra, loved to sing and skied willingly. And soon parachuting firmly entered her life. Valya Shashkova from a parallel class she was invited to the section, then she herself left, and Tereshkova got carried away.

However, Valentina did not think of becoming a professional athlete. Since childhood, she dreamed of being ... a train driver. She avidly read books about Polzunov and after the 7th grade she wanted to enter the railway technical school. Mom didn't allow it. The family still lived hard: Valya had to go to work.

Pilot-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova (4th right) among skydivers. 1961 Photo: RIA Novosti

- Valentina was a bracelet in the women's team of the 5th assembly shop, - the site foreman at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant recalled Larisa Sidyakina.— I made wheel frames for Belarus tractors. The work is very hard, but they paid more than at other enterprises, and they got a job here according to the great pull.

You had to get up before dawn. The trams ran poorly, there were a lot of people ... Less than a year later, my sister and mother persuaded Valya to go to the Krasny Perekop technical fabrics plant, where they worked themselves. Closer to home. In addition, it was time to think about the future: after graduating from evening school, Tereshkova entered the textile college.

Ribber, rover, oiler... Before becoming a secretary Komsomol organization, Valentina experienced all the hardships of working at the plant.

“With her, Komsomol life was in full swing,” the chief power engineer of Krasny Perekop shared his memories. Vyacheslav Romanov.- The whole committee was littered with parachutes: she headed the section ... They lived unimportantly: from paycheck to paycheck. But we came to them for tea as if we were at home. Valya cooked well. We did not consider ourselves poor back then. We tried to dress fashionably, did not go hungry. Until 1967, the stores had absolutely everything and cheap. Valya received 120-130 rubles as a secretary, and a good meal in the dining room cost a maximum of three rubles. Bread is free. At that time, little alcohol was consumed. They drank tea, dry wine, very rarely vodka. Her brother Volodya drank a little more ...

Pilot-cosmonaut, Hero of the Soviet Union Valentina Tereshkova with her mother Elena Fedorovna Tereshkova (second from right). 1963 Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Mokletsov

According to the confession of the chief power engineer, Tereshkova wanted to link her fate with the plant, she even entered the correspondence textile institute ... But very soon her life changed dramatically. She was still skydiving, getting injured. She was silent about the fact that she got into the cosmonaut corps. And shortly before the flight, she came to her homeland and opened up with someone: “Perhaps you will hear about me soon.”

“My mother was summoned to the village council, they asked where Vladimir Aksenovich served, how he died,” the cousin said.

A little over a month later, on June 16, 1963, the whole world learned about the flight of the first female astronaut. And Yaroslavl that day just stood on its ears.

- Hearing the message, I immediately ran after Elena Feodorovna: “Go quickly, Valya has flown!” They didn’t have a TV,” recalled Tereshkov’s neighbor Nadezhda Isaeva. - And she cried: “Lord, I wouldn’t have broken ...”

Did Khrushchev marry cosmonauts

Whether she wanted it or not, after the flight, Valentina became a completely different person. Circumstances demanded it. Shortly after the flight, she arrived in Yaroslavl in her car. A rally was organized at the plant. And all the people were waiting at the gate when famous woman will go back. And Tereshkova was escorted to the workshop and taken out the back door to the pier to the boat ...

Then there was a meeting with fellow countrymen at the stadium. And again, people were waiting for the 26-year-old heroine, preparing, dressing up. They came and saw nothing.

“Later we met with her,” Romanov shared. But she couldn't be herself anymore. Maintained a different image. All the time with a retinue that never let her go for a minute. The secretaries of the regional and city committees wanted to be there. She seemed to ask, as before, “How are you?” But ... in a different tone. The speech was dominated by high-pitched phrases. And we learned about her life only from newspapers.

“Tatyana Morozycheva should have been in place of Valentina,” Maya Nyushina confessed. - World champion, medals - to the floor. They were bosom friends, they practiced together, but Tatyana had much more jumps: 3.5 thousand ...

However, Morozycheva just got married, became pregnant, and she was expelled from the detachment. There were rumors that then she drank herself, having sold all her medals.

The press wrote a lot about Tereshkova and her understudies. Everything hidden will eventually come out. However, no one, except for close people, knows for certain the history of the first marriage and divorce of Valentina Vladimirovna.

Yaroslavl, who knew Tereshkova before the flight, recalled: she seemed to have some kind of fiancé before Nikolaev ... But who is he, where? .. One newspaper named Robert Silina, with whom Valentina worked at the flying club and whom she was allegedly supposed to marry. However, at home, no one admitted that he knew this man.

“Close relationships were rare then,” said Romanov. - Although, of course, they looked after Tereshkova. He was friends with Valentin Aristov. They went to the cinema, to the theater, walked in the evenings, probably kissed. And they did not hide their relationship.

“Nikolaev also had a bride in Chuvashia, and his mother wanted him to marry her,” Nyushina revealed the secret. - Well, what now? He and in Smolensk, where he served, had a girlfriend. They even told me there that Tereshkova had taken her fiancé away from her.

In a word, in regard to Tereshkova's personal life in the last half century, there are more questions than answers.

Marriage of pilot-cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Andrian Nikolaev. 1963 Photo: RIA Novosti / Valery Shustov

“In the eighties, they wrote that Valentina was lying on a dusty sofa and sipping Armenian cognac,” Agrafonova recalled. - Her assistant complained: that's why we are afraid to say something once again. When she came here, we were instructed: for God's sake, don't ask about her personal life.

Gossip about the daughter of Tereshkova and Nikolaev. They said that the girl was born prematurely, deaf. Fortunately, everything was in order, except that in childhood Lena suffered from strabismus. They put glasses on her, covering her good eye, so that the other would be corrected, and the problem was solved. She graduated with honors from high school and medical school.

By the way, Andrian Nikolaev, who refused to talk about his ex-wife, admitted that he did not even doubt his daughter's health. I was so sure of myself. Even at 70 he was still a vigorous, strong man. But ... There was a feeling that he and Tereshkova entered into a parity agreement on non-disclosure of the facts of their family life. And, if so, it is worth respecting a man who has not stooped to “bed memories”. Although, no doubt, he would have made decent money on his memoirs.

“I talked a lot with Nikolaev,” Agrafonova said. “He is a very interesting, rich person inside. It was easy with him. Although Valentina Vladimirovna complained that Andrian’s relatives tortured him: “Why do all of our people stay at the hotel, and him - some will leave, others will come. He is sitting in the corridor, writing something on his knee. And relatives are sleeping in the office. In Zvezdny they had a four-room, but small apartment. In the living room on both sides there are bookcases, a table and a rack with gifts, a study for two, two small bedrooms. The daughter slept with her grandmother.

Mother of Valentina Nikolaeva-Tereshkova Elena Fedorovna with her granddaughter Elena. 1964 Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Mokletsov

If people disagree, then there are reasons for that. So said the women who knew Tereshkova. A few years later, during the operation, Valentina Vladimirovna met the head of the CITO Yuli Shaposhnikov. They said he quit because of her old family. For nothing that "a modest and hard worker," as they said about him. Yes, and Valentina Vladimirovna always spoke warmly about her second husband (now also deceased).

Lobsters? No problem!"

Unfortunately, the first female cosmonaut had almost no truly close people. Dearly beloved younger brother Volodya, who worked as a cameraman in Zvezdny, died long ago. Mom left earlier. For a very long time, Valentina Vladimirovna searched for the grave of her father, who died on the Karelian Isthmus. Thanks to one of the marshals of the Ministry of Defense, who allocated funds for flying around the area, she found a huge mass grave, overgrown with forest. She erected a monument and regularly visits there.

Now Tereshkova's retinue is much smaller. But she is as hardworking as ever. School teachers who once visited her said: I got up at 6 in the morning, cooked millet porridge, fed everyone ... She did a lot for Yaroslavl, helps people. One day, school principal Maya Nyushina became seriously ill and needed an operation. Thanks to Valentina Vladimirovna, it was made in Moscow for free.

Valentina Tereshkova with her brother Vladimir. 1971 Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Mokletsov

Cosmonaut Kondakova told how on the second day after the landing of the crew (Elena flew with Polyakov and Viktorenko) Tereshkova came: “Guys, what would you like?”

- We were in rehabilitation, and my husband had already bought everything that was possible. But Tereshkova could not leave it like that: “You have been in space for a long time, you need fresh fruits and vegetables.” And then Valera half-jokingly said: “Valentina Vladimirovna, we would like lobsters ...” She: “Valerochka, no problem!” And what do you think? A couple of days later she brought fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, lobsters, baked fresh bread herself. Another would have passed by the ears, but she showed such care ...

The government of the USSR and Russia never ignored the first female cosmonaut. Tereshkova huge connections, thanks to which, they say, she became a general at the last moment before retiring. For many years - in state and public work, deputy of the State Duma of the 6th and 7th convocations. But... To be frank, not much is known about this side of her life...

Yaroslavl - Art. Chebokovo—With. Nikulskoe - Moscow.

Recall: “The Seagull” is the call sign of Valentina TERESHKOVA in orbit, and it was under this name that a simple Russian spinner entered the history of world cosmonautics. Recently, a scandal erupted in the family of Valentina Vladimirovna. Her daughter Elena treacherously left her husband, Igor MAYOROV. The deceived husband, offended, agreed to tell EG about some of the details of his drama. After his revelations, new and unexpected features appeared in the well-known image of Tereshkova. So, from this material you will learn:

* How "The Seagull" annoyed her husband, cosmonaut Andrian Nikolaev * How Tereshkova dared her daughter's suitors * Why Elena, the daughter of an astronaut, ran away from home * How Valentina Vladimirovna blackmailed the matchmaker

* Why Tereshkova was not at her daughter's wedding * What gifts does the second and beloved son-in-law receive from the "cosmic" mother-in-law

Olga KHODAEVA

The news that "The Seagull" gave birth was accompanied by incredible rumors. It was said that the girl was born blind, deaf, with six fingers and three legs. And all, they say, because her father and mother experienced cosmic overload. They argued in vain. In July of this year, Elena turned 39. She is healthy and very similar to a handsome father. But her life was not going smoothly. Only the weightlessness experienced by the parents has nothing to do with it.

While Elena was growing up, Valentina Vladimirovna headed the Committee of Soviet Women, says the ex-husband of Tereshkova's daughter. - My wife's mother succeeded in her work: they say she managed to convince the leaders of many states to make concessions to the Soviet government. But here's to getting along with own daughter she couldn't.

home tyrant

Until the age of 18, Lena was Nikolaeva, like her dad, Andriyan Grigorievich. But after the divorce of her parents, the daughter of the space couple wrote a statement to the police with a request to allow her to bear her mother's surname. Why the maturing girl had to abandon her father, who did not stop loving her even after parting with Tereshkova, one can only guess.

I did not want to offend my mother, - says Elena, trying to explain the act of 20 years ago. - Yes, and dad did not seem offended.

Little Alenka rarely saw her mother. She was raised by her grandmother - mother Tereshkova. Between the "Seagull" and the grown-up daughter, the abyss grew over the years. This annoyed the female astronaut with the character of the male commander.

At receptions in foreign embassies, smiling Valentina Vladimirovna strictly observed the rules good manners, and at home she relaxed and used to behave in a simple way.

Once Alena came to me all in tears, - Igor Mayorov recalls the time when he was still courting future wife. - She complained: “Mother hit me in the face with such force that even the earrings flew out of my ears!” But Valentina Vladimirovna also knew how to be affectionate. Without divorcing Nikolaev, she got along with Yuli Shaposhnikov, director of the Central Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics (CITO). It was this secret relationship that lasted several years that caused the break with the first spouse. And when talk of decay star family calmed down a little former lovers registered. Elena has no reason to be offended by her stepfather. After graduating from medical school, she worked under his wing at CITO. Igor Mayorov remembers how his fiancee was taken on duty and home in a company car.

Nonsensical mother-in-law

Igor Mayorov lived with his daughter Tereshkova for seven years. And I saw my mother-in-law with my own eyes only three times, and then - before the wedding.

He met Lena and Valentina Vladimirovna on the same day.

One day friends unexpectedly came to my house, - says Igor. “They brought a pretty dark-haired girl with them. It was Lena. Later, the guys admitted that Tereshkova's daughter really asked them to introduce her to me. Near the entrance, our company was waiting for a black "Seagull" - the cosmonaut's service limousine. We drove to the Star. I realized that her undivided power reigned in the town. Imagine: especially for me in the middle of the night they opened the Museum of Cosmonautics. Then I was visiting famous family. Valentina Vladimirovna was at home and graciously received us.

Igor almost did not remember the second meeting: Lena needed to go to her mother at work, to the Committee of Soviet Women, and he accompanied her. But the third date was fatal. “Valentina Vladimirovna invited Lena and me to the dacha without any special reason, no celebration and guests were expected,” recalls the former son-in-law. - I myself was driving, I didn’t know the road well, and we were late, only about 20 minutes. hurtful words. I got excited and answered in the same spirit. And then he turned around and left. Even before this unfortunate misunderstanding, Elena admitted to Igor that her mother did not like all her past suitors. "The Seagull" believed that the guys knocked down the threshold of their house only because they wanted to intermarry with the first cosmonaut, enjoy the benefits of her family and make a career for themselves. Igor himself went to eligible suitors. His father - Alexei Mayorov - in those years headed the representative office of Aeroflot in Sweden, and before that he led the government air squadron and was the personal pilot of four general secretaries - Brezhnev, Andropov, Chernenko and Gorbachev. (We plan to publish an article about the famous pilot in the next issues. - Ed.) The Mayorov family did not live in poverty, so the guy was not interested in Tereshkova's money and benefits, and he could make a career without the help of Chaika. But because of an unfortunate oversight Igor is in trouble.

By that time, Elena had turned 26 - it would be time to get married. And the girl decided to run away from home. For several weeks she hid with Igor at the dachas of friends.

Valentina Vladimirovna, in anger, called her father in Stockholm, - Igor recalls. - She was shouting something utter: I supposedly introduced Lena to drugs, robbed her apartment, and threatened to put me in jail. Well, how could I inject drugs or smoke weed if I flew as a co-pilot at Sheremetyevo? Yes, and Tereshkova hastily invented about theft, hoping to crush him with her authority. But my father was not timid. And instead of sending his daughter to her mother, he waved his hand and said: “Marry!” The wedding of Lena and Igor was modest. We celebrated at the apartment. Only 12 people were present. Valentina Vladimirovna was not invited. Two years later, the Mayorovs had a son, Alyosha. “Elena said that she would never show her grandson to her mother,” says Igor. - Valentina Vladimirovna also did not make any attempts to make peace with us. We did not receive any congratulations or gifts from her. Meanwhile, the astronaut at work often met with her son-in-law's father - they had joint projects. But she had the courage not to be interested in her own daughter and grandson.

Husbands swap wives

In 1999, Lena fell in love and left her husband. Her chosen one was Igor's colleague - pilot Andrei Rodionov. Then, however, as now, Elena worked as a doctor at the Aeroflot Medical Center. Andrei regularly came to see her, during one of these visits they became close.

Once, three-year-old Alyosha asked his father:

Dad, why, when you are on a business trip, does Uncle Andrey sleep in your place? By that time, Igor already guessed that his wife was cheating on him. - I'm tired of being my husband's nanny, - Elena explains the reason for the family discord. - Igor could have had a great career, but he did not strive for anything, he lived only on what his father achieved. And with Andrey, I felt that next to me was a real and loving man. Deceived Igor, investigating the story new love Elena, met the abandoned wife of Andrei Rodionov. At first they became friends, and then began to live together. “They decided to take revenge on us, and they are still taking revenge,” Elena chuckles. Having left her husband, she did not allow Igor to see her son. He had to seek the right to communicate with the child through the courts. He was allowed to see Alyosha only 3 times a month and only in the presence of his mother. - My ex-wife wants to erase the idea in her son's memory that it was she who destroyed the family, - Igor believes. - Even despite the court order, I hardly see Alyosha: Elena always finds excuses to refuse a date. She probably remembered how Valentina Vladimirovna successfully managed to excommunicate her from her father, and now her daughter is successfully applying the experience of her mother.

generous grandmother

Elena left her husband, taking a couple of suitcases. At first, they rented an apartment with Andrei. But lovers soon got tired of loitering without a roof over their heads. The daughter went to confess to her mother. So "The Seagull" saw her grandson for the first time. Alyosha was then in his fifth year.

Elena's lawyer told me that Tereshkova did not immediately forgive her daughter, says Mayorov. - She felt sorry for her grandson, because the baby also experienced inconvenience, living where he had to. Valentina Vladimirovna ceded to Elena and her new husband her apartment in an elite building in Granatny Lane. By that time, Tereshkova's second husband, Julius Shaposhnikov, had died. "The Seagull" was left all alone. And then the daughter returned, the grandson appeared, and life again filled with meaning. Valentina Vladimirovna did not have to crowd: the first cosmonaut had plenty of living space - in Zvezdny there was a four-room apartment and a solid cottage in the forest zone of the town. The only heiress of all real estate is Elena. - With his first wife, Andrei lived in a three-room apartment on Sokol, - says Igor Mayorov. - At first, having left the family, he did not apply for this housing. But then he changed his mind. He said that he was leaving the living space behind him, and gave his abandoned wife 42 thousand dollars to buy an apartment. I, like Andrey, fly on a Boeing and know perfectly well how much pilots get. Believe me: you can’t save up for an apartment from my salary even in ten years! It remains to be assumed that the newly-minted son-in-law received an impressive amount of money from the generous mother-in-law.

There are other reasons to think that Andrei managed to win the favor of Elena's mother. After marrying the daughter of an astronaut, his career took off sharply. He was the commander of the Il-62. Usually the next step is the co-pilot of the Boeing. But Andrei immediately sat in the commander's seat of the aircraft upper class. The second son-in-law was grateful. He does not reread his mother-in-law and tries to help her in everything. They say that in winter Andrei Rodionov regularly clears the snow near Tereshkova's cottage.

Per Last year, according to Igor, Tereshkova twice took her grandson Alyosha abroad - to Malta and to Spain. Where does the first cosmonaut get money - for an apartment, a mansion and tourist trips - to an ex-son-in-law and it's somehow inconvenient to ask. Valentina Vladimirovna, in cooperation with commercial structures, was not noticed by him. She still works at the Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. And, according to her daughter, she lives modestly, on a salary and a pension. What benefits are due to the mother, as the first cosmonaut, Elena could not remember, saying that they were not significant. Peter, own son Yulia Shaposhnikova, assures that her father was not engaged in business, but devoted himself entirely to science.

Instead of an epilogue

Elena, four years after the divorce, did not abandon the surname of her first husband, she is still Mayorova and is in no hurry to become Rodionova. From the apartment of the former spouse is not yet discharged. Igor believes that someday she may raise the issue of the division of property. And there is something to share in the Mayorov family. Elena said that ex-husband four apartments, at least three cars, a couple of cottages and a huge bank account. She is also sure that the talk of her mother's money former spouse splashes in the press is not accidental. He wants to forestall some possible property process. If the spouses do not amicably agree, then it is possible that the legend of the "Seagull" will acquire new details.

By the way

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of her first flight, Valentina Tereshkova denied rumors that her first marriage to cosmonaut Andrian Nikolaev took place on the "order" of the Politburo. But she confirmed that Leonid Brezhnev personally gave her permission to divorce.

From the dossier

Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna 10th cosmonaut in the world, 6th cosmonaut in the USSR - born March 6, 1937

March 12, 1962 - enrolled in the cosmonaut corps June 16, 1963 - flew into space on the Vostok-6 spacecraft November 3, 1963 - married cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolaev June 8, 1964 - gave birth to a daughter, Elena In 1979 entered into civil marriage with Yuli Shaposhnikov In 1982 - divorced Andriyan Nikolaev

Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova (March 6, 1937, village of Bolshoe Maslennikovo, Tutaevsky district, Yaroslavl region) - Soviet cosmonaut, the 1st woman cosmonaut in the world. The only woman to fly solo into space.

Life before flight

Valentina was born into a family of peasants who came from Belarus. Her father was a tractor driver and died during the Soviet-Finnish war. Mother worked in a textile factory. Valentina had a good ear for music, so she learned to play the domra.

After graduating from 7th grade, she began working as a bracelet maker at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant. At the same time she studied at night school. Then for 7 years she worked as an ordinary weaver at the Krasny Perekop plant. During this period, Valentine passed distance learning at the College of Light Industry. Then she began to go in for parachuting at a local flying club. It would seem that her life is developing according to an already prescribed scenario. But then an event happened that changed the whole life of an ordinary factory worker.

Sergei Korolev decided to send a female cosmonaut into space. In 1962, the search for applicants began according to the following criteria: age up to 30 years old, parachutist, weight up to 70 kg and height up to 170 cm. As a result, five were selected: T. Kuznetsova, Zh. V. Tereshkova. All the girls were called to emergency military service. What awaited Tereshkova next?

1962 - began to be trained as a student-cosmonaut. I passed the OKP exams with excellent marks and became a cosmonaut of the 1st detachment. During the training, Valentina underwent special training for the body's resistance. For example, in a thermal chamber it was necessary to stay at a temperature of +70 °C, and in a chamber isolated from sounds, the candidate had to stay for 10 days. Particular attention was paid to skydiving.

Flight

June 16, 1963 - made the world's first flight of a female cosmonaut. Tereshkova went into space on the Vostok-6 spacecraft. Her flight lasted almost three days. On the day of her 1st flight into space, Valentina Tereshkova told her family that she was going to the skydiving competition. They learned about the real state of affairs from the news on the radio.

When choosing the first female cosmonaut, political issues were also taken into account. The advantage of Tereshkova was that she was from the workers, and her father died in the war. When, after the flight, Valentina was asked how the SRSR could thank her, she asked to find her father's grave. Equally important was the candidate's ability to lead social activities- speak in public, demonstrating the advantages of the Soviet system. Note that when Tereshkova was appointed as a pilot spaceship she was 10 years younger than the youngest American astronaut of the first detachment.

N. Kamanin, who was involved in the selection of cosmonauts, noted that Tereshkova had a better start than Nikolaev and Popovich. Valentina's call sign for the duration of the flight is "Seagull". Before the start, she said: “Hey! Sky! Take off your hat! (quote from a poem by V. Mayakovsky). True, during the flight, Tereshkova did not cope well with the orientation of the spacecraft. This was due to improper installation of control wires. Therefore, Valentina had to put new data into the computer. She was silent about this case for 40 years, Korolev himself asked her not to tell anyone anything.

Tereshkova's problems during the flight also had a physiological explanation. Note that according to the results of the medical examination, her performance was the worst. But thanks to the intervention of Nikita Khrushchev, she was nevertheless identified as an astronaut. decisive role played by her social background.

Despite severe physical discomfort, Tereshkova withstood as many as 48 revolutions around the planet. While in space, she kept a special log book and also took photos of the horizon, which were later used to detect aerosol layers in earth's atmosphere.

"Vostok-6" landed in the Baevsky district Altai Territory. True, Tereshkova was accused of violating the regime: she handed out local residents products from the astronaut's diet, while she herself ate local food. After Tereshkova's flight, Sergei Korolev said: "As long as I'm alive, no other woman will fly into space!" There was some truth in these words, because the next flight of a Soviet woman into space took place 19 years later.

What happened after?

After space flight Valentina Vladimirovna entered the Air Force Engineering Academy and graduated with honors. She later became a professor and wrote more than fifty scientific works.

1966-1989 - Deputy of the Supreme Council.

1968-1987 - Head of the Soviet Women's Committee.

1969-1997 - Worked as an instructor-cosmonaut.

1969 - became a member of the World Peace Council.

1971-1989 - Member of the Central Committee of the CPSU.

1974-1989 - was a member of the Presidium of the Supreme Council.

1992 - headed the presidium Russian Association international cooperation.

1997 - becomes a senior researcher at the Cosmonaut Training Center.

1994-2004 - Headed the Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation.

2008-2011 - MP from the party " United Russia» in the Yaroslavl Regional Duma.

2011 - elected to the State Duma. Tereshkova is a member of a deputy group that defends Christian values. In particular, she advocates for amendments to the Constitution, according to which "Orthodoxy is the basis of Russia's national identity." It should be noted that with the assistance of Tereshkova, a university was opened in Yaroslavl, a river station and a planetarium were built. In addition, she constantly provides assistance to the Yaroslavl orphanage and home school.

According to official data for 2012, Tereshkova owns land plot 1,500 m², a house of 607 m², 1.5 apartments of 175 m², and 2 cars.

Immediately after the flight into space, Valentina Vladimirovna married cosmonaut A. Nikolaev. The wedding was celebrated in a government mansion, even Khrushchev was among the guests. In 1964, the couple had a daughter, Elena. But in 1982 this marriage was annulled. Once Tereshkova mentioned that her first husband was a real despot. Valentina's second husband was Major General of the Medical Service Yuli Shaposhnikov. In 1999 he died.

As a reward for her flight, Tereshkova received a 3-room apartment in Yaroslavl, where she moved with her mother, aunt and niece. But she lived in this apartment for no more than three years, since she decided to settle in Moscow.

Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in Russia to receive the rank of major general. Tereshkova is the only Soviet citizen whose portrait was placed on a coin during her lifetime.

Favorite planet of Valentina Vladimirovna is Mars. Having seen all the earth's continents from space, Tereshkova decided to definitely visit Australia and not so long ago she realized this dream.

In 1969, Tereshkova was in a car that was fired upon during the assassination attempt on L. Brezhnev. Not hurt.

Valentina Vladimirovna has been friends with famous singer Elena Exemplary.

Tereshkova was awarded the title of "The Greatest Woman of the 20th Century". Named after her:

• minor planet 1671 Chaika;
• a crater on the moon;
• streets in Odessa, Ulan-Ude, Ulyanovsk, Novosibirsk, Gudermes;
• embankment in Evpatoria;
• square in Tver;
• schools in Yaroslavl, Novocheboksarsk, Karaganda;
• museum "Cosmos";
• planetarium in Yaroslavl.

Tereshkova are dedicated to the songs of the Dutch band Stone Oak Cosmonaut, Sofia Rotaru, English group"Computer" and the Polish group "Filipinki".