Introduction
Pham Tuan is a Vietnamese pilot and cosmonaut, known as the first Vietnamese and the first Asian person to fly into space. He was born and grew up in Thai Binh Province, in a rice-farming area. He served as Head of the General Department of Defense Industry (Ministry of National Defense) and held the rank of Lieutenant General.
Career
He enlisted in 1965, studied flying in the Soviet Union, and graduated in 1967, after which he returned home to take part in combat. According to his account, he initially failed the pilot selection and turned to training as an aircraft mechanic. As combat pilots were in short supply, mechanics were re-selected for flight training, and he was one of 10 people who became pilots.
During the 1972 air campaign, he was one of 10 pilots who took part in combat and shot down a US B-52, and was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces for the first time.
Spaceflight
In 1980, he was selected for the spaceflight program. According to his account, a review of his records showed a heart rhythm disorder that initially disqualified him; however, because Vietnam needed to send four pilots to the Soviet Union but could only select three, he was included to fill the slot and was later selected. Four candidates went to the Soviet Union, including him, and they trained at the space center for about 16 months. He learned he would be the primary pilot only three days before the flight.
At 1:33 a.m. on July 23, 1980 (Hanoi time), at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the Soyuz 37 spacecraft, piloted by Viktor Gorbatko and Pham Tuan, launched into space. The flight made Pham Tuan the first Vietnamese and the first Asian person to fly into space. The spacecraft completed 142 orbits around the Earth and carried out more than 30 remote-sensing experiments, dissolution of mineral samples, and plant experiments on azolla. Azolla was chosen because it is a plant that multiplies easily, absorbs carbon dioxide, and produces oxygen, and the research aimed to study the effects of space radiation on living organisms.
He shared that during the flight he tried to find the S-shaped strip of land to look at, and felt deeply moved and proud. Regarding life on board, he described meals contained in tubes with predetermined portions, and sleeping by getting into a sleeping bag and being tethered to the spacecraft wall to avoid floating freely. The most special moment for him was completing the mission and returning to Earth.
In 1980, after his successful spaceflight, he was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces for the second time, and was also awarded the Hero medal by the Soviet state. He also received the title of Hero of Labor.
After retirement, he has continued to take part in exchanges and share his journey and experience with younger generations.