The Guy Who Lost His Country While He Was In space
He Witnessed His Country’s Collapse From space
What if your country was disintegrated while you were abroad?. Can you imagine the consequences?
Sergei Krikalev lost his country while he was in space. He is a real hero, a brave soul.
The Soviet Union was disintegrated while he was on a mission in space. But he fought for his country in a way that no one did prior to him.
In the spring of 1991, Sergei Krikalev and Anatoly Artsebarsky were set to follow the steps of Yuri Gargarin. The men marched to the right rear tire of the bus, unzipped their spacesuits, and started urinating. Then, they headed for the launch pad (a tradition set by Gargarin in 1961).
After blasting off from Baikonur, Krikalev wouldn’t inhale earthly air for 312 days. Most cosmonauts read to pass the time, but Krikalev and his crew spent their free hours looking out the window. But even at this vantage point, he couldn’t realize what is unfolding in his country.
He wasn’t aware of the upcoming changes. Presidents would change. His hometown of Leningrad would become St. Petersburg. And one Communist superpower would explode into 15 nations.
