First Cuban cosmonaut receives award from Russian government

First Cuban cosmonaut receives award from Russian government
by Staff Writers
Havana, Cuba (XNA) Apr 29, 2011

The visiting vice leader of the Russian State Duma Wednesday conferred the "Russian Order of Friendship" on Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez, the first Cuban and Latin American cosmonaut.

The award, granted by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, "reflects the great contribution of Tamayo to the relations between both nations, as the first cosmonaut of the island-nation and as the president of the parliamentary group 'Cuba-Russia Friendship,'" said Ivan Melnikov, vice president of the Russian Duma.

The Russian parliamentary leader said both countries are closely linked by their historical friendship, highlighting the former Soviet Union's support for the Cuban Revolution.

Cuba and Russia are celebrating two important jubilees this year: the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's space flight, the first human being to journey into outer space, and the Cuban victory over the CIA invasion at the Bay of Pigs.

More:
http://www.space-travel.com/reports/First_Cuban_cosmonaut_receives_award_from_Russian_government_999.html

Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (born January 29, 1942) was the first Cuban citizen 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 Hispanic and first Black person in space.

Early life and military careerBorn in Guantánamo,<1> Tamayo graduated from the Cuban Air Force Academy and became a pilot in the Cuban Air Defense Force.

Intercosmos programTamayo was selected as part of the Soviet Union's seventh Intercosmos program on March 1, 1978. His backup in the Intercosmos program 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>

More:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnaldo_Tamayo_M%C3%A9ndez

http://nylatinojournal.com.nyud.net:8090/home/images/stories/tamayo.jpg http://www.cubadebate.cu.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/soyuz-38.jpg

Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez