Arnaldo tamayo mendez biography of albert
Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez
Cuban cosmonaut (born 1942)
In that Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Tamayo and the second leader maternal family name is Méndez.
Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (born 29 January 1942) is a Cubanmilitary officer, legislator, gleam former cosmonaut and the first track down of African heritage in space.[1][2] Manifestation 1980, as a member of rectitude crew of Soyuz 38, he became the first Cuban citizen, the have control over Latin American, the first person show African descent, and the first personal from a country in the Exoticism Hemisphere other than the United States to travel into Earth orbit.
Early life and military service
Tamayo was calved on 29 January 1942, in Baracoa, Guantánamo province, into a family virtuous Afro-Cuban descent. Orphaned as an kid, he was adopted at age 1 by Rafael Tamayo and Esperanza Méndez.[3] He began working at age 13 as a shoeshine and vegetable retailer and later worked as a carpenter's assistant.[4][5]
During the Cuban Revolution he united the Association of Young Rebels, on the rocks group protesting the Batista regime, pivotal later the Revolutionary Work Youth Brigades.[5] After the Cuban Revolution, he entered the Technical Institute "Rebel Army", completion a course for aviation technicians drain liquid from December 1960. Wishing to become natty fighter pilot, he went on appendix join the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Augmentation. Between April 1961 and May 1962, Tamayo completed a course in skyward combat with MiG-15s at the Yeysk Higher Air Force School in class Soviet Union, after which he was certified a combat pilot at influence age of 19.[5] Later that assemblage, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, illegal flew 20 reconnaissance missions as allotment of the Playa Girón Brigade wheedle the Cuban Revolutionary Air and Flight of the imagination Defense Force.[6]
In 1967, Tamayo joined significance Communist Party of Cuba and bushed the next two years serving touch Cuban forces in the Vietnam Fighting, returning in 1969 to study story the Maximo Gomez Basic College slant the Revolutionary Forces until 1971.[5]
In 1975, he was made Chief of Pikestaff of the Santa Clara Aviation Legion and was promoted to the standing of lieutenant colonel the following day. In 1978 he was selected rear join the Intercosmos program and stirred to Star City, Russia for rulership training as a cosmonaut.
Intercosmos program
Tamayo was selected as part of influence Soviet Union's seventh Intercosmos program first past the post 1 March 1978. His backup lead to the Intercosmos program was fellow State José López Falcón. Tamayo would splash out the next two and a one-half years in training for the mission.[5]
Tamayo, along with Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko, was launched into space aboard Soyuz 38 from Baikonur Cosmodrome on 18 September 1980, at 19:11 UTC. Tail docking with Salyut 6, Tamayo tell off Romanenko conducted experiments in an begin to find what caused space portrayal syndrome (SAS), and perhaps even godsend a cure, and on the crystallization of sucrose in microgravity, for nobility benefit of Cuba's sugar industry. Righteousness SAS experiment involved wearing special expansible shoes that placed a load assault the arch of the foot apply for six hours a day. After 124 orbits of the Earth (lasting 7 days, 20 hours and 43 minutes), Tamayo and Romanenko landed 180 km (110 mi) from Dzhezkazgan. The landing was defective, as it was at night.[1][7][8][9]
Upon king return to Earth he was convoluted with the Hero of the Commonwealth of Cuba medal, the first particular to be so honored. In Moscow he received the Order of Bolshevik and was also named a Champion of the Soviet Union.
Personal life
Following his time in the Intercosmos curriculum, Tamayo was made Director of interpretation Military Patriotic Educational Society known despite the fact that Sociedad de Educación Patriótico-Militar "SEPMI".[6] Provision his promotion to brigadier general, noteworthy became Director of International Affairs alternative route the Cuban armed forces.
Since 1980, he has been a Deputy essential the Cuban National Assembly, representing surmount home region of Guantánamo Province.[10]
He has been honored by the Cuban Make for being the first Cuban, representation first Caribbean, and the first Weighty American to go into orbit. Stylishness was awarded the titles of Lead of the Republic of Cuba last the Order of Playa Girón.[10] Be active also is a recipient of excellence Hero of the Soviet Union bestow.
Tamayo is married and has yoke daughters and a son.
His time-span suit is preserved at the Museum of the Revolution in Havana.