The message reads, in part:
“A two-times Hero of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Aksyonov was a man of great talent, courage and spirit. He made a meaningful contribution to developing our domestic space programme. He always served as a role model by his professionalism and the ability to effectively perform unconventional tasks during orbital missions and while testing and mastering new equipment and solutions.”
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Soviet cosmonaut, two-times Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Aksyonov died on April 9, at the age of 89.