07/15/2019
https://www.roscosmos.ru/26564/Interview with Alexander Skvortsov
Less than a week is left before the launch of the Soyuz MS-13 manned spacecraft. For the commander of the spaceship of the Hero of the Russian Federation, the pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation Alexander Skvortsov, this will be the third space flight. In anticipation of this event, the editor of the press service of the CPC Svetlana Nosenkova talked with Alexander Alexandrovich about the features of the upcoming expedition to the ISS, experiments, professional way, support of relatives and a friendly atmosphere in the crew.
- Your father, Alexander Skvortsov, Sr., served as a test astronaut of the 3rd set of astronauts, but, unfortunately, he never had a chance to see the Earth from orbit. Tell me, was your career choice determined by the environment in which you grew up in Star City, or is it still your personal childhood dream?
- As a child, I wanted to become a pilot, since my dad was a sniper pilot and flew in a fighter aviation aviation regiment of the Anti-aircraft Defense. Yes, at one time my father was in the cosmonaut corps. My younger brother and I, named after Yuri Gagarin, were born in Star City. But when I was 3-4 years old, I still did not realize the scale of the personality of Yuri Alekseevich, about which the parents spoke, and therefore I dreamed of heaven. My brother and I both followed in my father's footsteps and became fighter pilots. And in 1996, I learned that there was a recruitment to the cosmonaut corps. At that time I served as a pilot in air defense fighter aviation and studied at the Marshal of the Soviet Union GK Military Academy of Air Defense. Zhukov. And the set was one of the pilots of the Air Force. But I decided to try my hand. And in 1997, out of 320 military pilots selected only eight people, including me.
- What were the main criteria for such a rigid selection? Good health?
- We were told this: "It is better to reject you immediately if you have any health problems than to suffer with you later." Those. health guarantee for five years was exactly (smiles). But, as the Hero of the Soviet Union said twice, the USSR pilot-cosmonaut Vladimir Lyakhov, is selected for health, and they are asked for intelligence. I have deep respect for Vladimir Afanasyevich, he was a stunning person with a keen sense of humor, very inquisitive. So he calculated that in his time, when they were flying to the Salyut and Mir orbital stations, the astronaut had to pass 157 exams before the flight. And now, according to my calculations, there are more than two hundred of them! So the main selection criterion, of course, at all times is absolute health. But besides everything else, as Yury Gagarin said: “Cosmos is not only the lot of courageous and courageous. It is for the curious and patient, savvy and hard, looking for and believing in the future of this as-yet unknown world. ”
- Alexander Alexandrovich, you are the head of the group of candidates for cosmonauts. What is your opinion about the new set of 2018? What is coaching for you?
- The guys came very literate, especially pleased that half of them are involved in aviation. I communicate with all of them, helping with some issues related not only to preparation, but also, say, to transfer to the CPC, relocation, some bureaucratic delays. At first it is always hard. But, as experience shows, the best instructors and teachers work at the Cosmonauts Training Center. We must listen to them carefully, understand what they want from you, and then everything will turn out. Because sometimes on exams because of slightly incorrectly placed accents, the answer is no longer the same, and as a result you can get a triple. And in the detachment of astronauts troechnik not. You can get either good or great. Troika are not recognized, but redeemed.
While the guys are preparing in the group of general space training, and further - before the first flight - there will always be some nuances that require the help of an older comrade. I try to be a boss who understands the aspirations of his subordinates and helps in solving emerging issues. The main thing is to remember that you grew up exactly from the same position - from the candidate for cosmonauts to the pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation. This is a very long and difficult path.
- The planned duration of your third expedition is 201 days. This is more than the average space flight on the ISS. How do you prepare for extra days at the station? Will it be more difficult physically or psychologically?
- This question for me is really very serious now. In terms of the psychological climate on the ISS, I hope everything will be fine. Although everything is always going differently, but since I am an optimist, I want to live with smiles, joy and not to say that this cup of tea is half empty. Yes, there is still half, if figuratively expressed! (smiles)
Another thing is that space still does not add health. I suppose, after two perfect flights, my body will remember the nuances of weightlessness, especially since this is the happiest state. But it’s impossible to be lazy in space. Two hours a day of compulsory physical training is what is necessary for a safe return to Earth and preservation of one’s health.
- In the Russian scientific program there are experiments that continue from year to year. Does something change in their conduct? And what is the most important thing for an astronaut in their implementation?
- Yes, some experiments are indeed repeated, but their software and hardware, analytics, are changing. Of course, the best option if the producer of the experiment itself - the person who invented it and scientifically substantiated - was on board himself. But since this is impossible, we have no right to fail. Our preparation for the scientific program is connected with personal contact - we meet with the developers of experiments, we see how they care about their work, and it inspires us to do everything clearly and competently. And I am proud that after each space flight they told me: the entire scientific program was executed perfectly. The purity of the experiments was observed and each got the result in its own direction. This is the most important thing for an astronaut or astronaut to do something useful for their country, for science and for all of humanity as a whole.
- Which of your relatives came to Baikonur to conduct you on your third flight?
- My wife is Elena. My daughter cannot - she has a small child, my granddaughter. Dad will follow the start of the MCC. I usually went flying in the spring, and now it is very hot at Baikonur. But the spouse already knows where to go, what to do, how to behave. And I am sure that she will do everything right. For astronauts, Baikonur is a holy place, and I want to be accompanied by happy and beautiful faces of my relatives, friends, and colleagues, who will be remembered with warmth in orbit. I really appreciate my wife for always waiting for me. When, as a military pilot, I returned from night flights, there was always a single window in the house — ours. And I never let Elena down and return home with love (smiles).
- Alexander Alexandrovich, please remind our readers the history of your indicator of weightlessness. Why precisely duckling? And where does such a neat name - “Kvak” come from?
- The duckling was chosen by my daughter and she knitted him a suit back in 2010. I showed it to NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson - together with her and Mikhail Kornienko we started on Soyuz TMA-18 TPK on April 2, 2010 - and asked what we would call. She said, "Kwak." It was unexpected. You could call him, say, Duck. But since it is a little greenish in color than a frog, I took this name. Since then, we have been flying with Kwak, only we are decorating him. In the first flight, a ladybug was attached to his suit, and now - the silver emblem of our crew, which was made by Andrew Morgan in America.
- At the pre-flight press conference in the CPC, a lot was said about the friendly warm atmosphere in your crew, which does everything “with a sparkle in their eyes.” However, I want to know: besides professional goals, do you have common interests? Have you agreed on tastes about literature, cinema, music? For example, how did you make your starting playlist?
- We have been training together for more than two years, have been doublers twice. Therefore, even if there is a disagreement in something, we always come to a compromise. Our crew already have their own handwriting. In this regard, Andrew Morgan, who teaches Russian by proverbs and anecdotes, acts as a generator of ideas and sometimes gives us such pearls (laughs). Luke Parmitano has amazing musical abilities, he plays the guitar perfectly and sings Russian songs. Andrew and I can sing too. But I do not change my musical preferences. I love Yuri Vizbor's songs very much - they are kind and sincere. And this time, when we wait for the start, they will also sound, including his “Dombai Waltz”. The entire start-up playlist should fit in forty minutes, so I cut my part a little so that the guys listen to all their songs that they want.
- On your first flight, you and NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson and other crew members of the ISS-23/24 made a film about the station for the deaf using sign language. It is also known that you organized your photo exhibitions, the funds from which you gave to sick children. Are there any socially significant projects for this flight?
- I never think ahead. But I can say that I will participate in charitable projects that will be from the heart. I do not like it when something is imposed on me or ordered, although I am a military man and I understand what it is. But, I think, everything that is done from the heart always produces high quality, to the joy and benefit of people.
- Tell us about your call sign "Cliff". What does he mean to you?
- I was looking for a call sign that foreign astronauts could easily pronounce and that would carry in itself a symbolic image of the Russian land. In my opinion, "Cliff" - perfect. When I pronounce this word, I see a lonely pine on an impregnable rock that lives in defiance of everything. In the same way, we all - astronauts and astronauts - are flying away from home, but we have the strength and confidence that we will return. In the word "Cliff" I hear something of our primordially, what I want to be sad and happy about, and understand the greatness of our land and nature.
- Thank you for the conversation, Alexander Alexandrovich! All the staff of the CPC wish you a successful flight, an interesting research program on the ISS and a planned soft landing!