Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Ussr
Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Ussr
a rank established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on Apr. 14, 1961, to mark the occasion of the world’s first manned spaceflight on the Vostok orbital spacecraft on Apr. 12, 1961.
This rank has been awarded to cosmonauts who have made outstanding flights in space. It was first conferred on Iu. A. Gagarin. As of Feb. 1, 1973, the rank of Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR (accompanied by the presentation of a silver chest badge) has been conferred on 25 Soviet citizens.