Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2024 All Rights Reserved

45 years since the flight of Bulgaria’s first astronaut Georgi Ivanov

Georgi Ivanov
Photo: Lovech municipality

Three airplanes will overfly Lovech today at around 5.30 PM, as an air salute on the occasion of the 45th anniversary since the flight in space of the first Bulgarian astronaut Georgi Ivanov. The planes will take off from Donla Mitropoliya air base. They will be flown by experienced pilots in wedge formation.

On this date in 1979, the first joint Soviet-Bulgarian flight on board the space ship Soyuz 33 took place, with Russian astronaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov and Bulgarian astronaut Georgi Ivanov. The ship was launched from Baikonur cosmodrome. As it approached the Salyut 6 orbital station, however the ship’s main engine failed. The crew was unable to slow down and maneuver for docking with the orbital station as planned, and decided to use the backup engine to fly back to Earth. The crew of the Soyuz 33 spent 1 day, 23 hours and 1 minute in space. Bulgaria is the 6th country to have sent an astronaut into space.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Cooler and rainy weather with summer thunderstorms

On Thursday , a cold front with clouds and precipitation will pass over the country. There will be short-term intense rainfalls with thunderstorms and hail. The lowest temperatures will be between 16 and 22°C; in Sofia - about 16°C...

published on 7/24/24 6:50 PM
Peter Szijjarto (R) during a meeting with Bulgaria's caretaker Energy Minister Vladimir Malinov in Bucharest

Bulgaria has offered to help Hungary over ban on transit of oil across Ukraine, Hungarian foreign minister says

Bulgaria has offered to help Hungary cope with the difficulties arising from the ban on the transit of oil across Ukraine. This transpired from a post on Facebook by Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto. “Bulgaria, as a true friend and..

published on 7/24/24 5:54 PM

Archaeologists unearth 17 burial sites in the necropolis of ancient Ratiaria

During rescue excavations, 17 burial facilities were discovered in the necropolis of the Roman colony of Ulpia Ratiaria (near Archar village in the region of Vidin), of which five tombs and 12 pit graves. This was announced by Zdravko..

published on 7/24/24 4:26 PM