I’ve been asked many times, «How come that so many boys and girls dream about space but so few of them achieve their dream?». I explain that it is very important not to be afraid of your ambitions, deal with the challenges and go on to pursuit your goals.

After hearing my answer, which is by the way 100% true, some people might think that astronauts are some sort of real-life super heroes: they wake up in the morning, do their morning routine, watch the sunrise through the window while thinking about their super-hero tasks for the day. And in the evening, they come back home, wiping sweat from their foreheads, happy with the Superman job they’ve done, watching the sun go down and thinking «Done».

Well, I secretly wish that was true, but, as people say, «It is tales that are quickly spun, deeds are sooner said than done».

There’s a curious thing that happened to me in the past 2019.

You might know already that I’ve founded the Badminton Federation of the Oryol Region, which announced itself publicly in May 2018 and has been developing at a steady rate ever since. However, like it or not, any development needs money. It’s been my job to find sponsorship to promote such development. And then, one day, at the beginning of 2019, I had a meeting with my friends from the banking sector to discuss the funding issues that I was concerned about. Their answer was quite definite, «We can’t give out money for the sake of development. However, we might think about supporting some international events». And that’s when the thought popped in my head, «That’s the thing! We need a tournament! How could I miss that?». My mates from the badminton community tried to bring me into my senses and claimed that 6 months is too little to obtain the WBF approval for an international event. But even though we had only 1+ year experience, my colleagues offered me to organize and hold the Russian Federation Junior Grand Prix 3* tournament (the highest rank possible because I wouldn’t agree to something less), saying, «It’s easier to support you than stop you».

On the one hand, I was very thankful for their trust, and I knew that I couldn’t fail. On the other hand, it was a big challenge both for me and for the entire team. Indeed, none of us had any experience in holding authorized sports events even at a regional level, not to mention nationals. A lot needed to be done and learnt, but, like it or not, money is the cornerstone of everything. You need money to buy shuttlecocks, pay the rent and do many other things. As time flew by, the people, who put the idea of a tournament into my head, kept silent about the sponsorship. Finally, six months after, they sincerely apologized to me and explained that, unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to help us due to some reasons beyond their control.

Nevertheless, we did hold the tournament, and quite successfully, I should say, because we didn’t just sit back and do nothing, waiting for pennies from sponsors. This challenge became a landmark, a point of transition to a new level. Suffice to say that in the current 2020, we have already been entrusted with 5 interregional and national competitions.

First of all, I am writing all this to extend my sincere gratitude to those people, who put the idea into my head and boosted my confidence to organize a high-level tournament. Even though those people were not able to support us financially, they contributed to our development greatly since we managed to do everything on our own. And we didn’t even think we could.

And secondly, this is another example of how we put limits on ourselves! It does not matter what heights/depths you have reached before; every day is a new challenge and it’s up to you to decide if you can handle it or not. You need to remember that you can go beyond the horizon of public stereotypes and change the way you see or do things (1.5-minute video about the power of stereotypes).

I think you wonder, «Why does he show us these photos?».

The answer is simple. These photos were taken at an exhibition at Planetarium No. 1 in Saint Petersburg. These are the Red Bull Stratos space suit and the capsule that helped Felix Baumgartner break the speed of sound in freefall on October 14, 2012. I want to show these to you because they remind me that the sky is not the limit, the mind is.

«...we climbed up the ropes, then down, then up again ... then we swam across underground lakes and at those moments I recalled scenes from modern science fiction films I so well knew - «This film seems to be shot on this location, and that film seems to be shot here…» It was so breathtaking!»

Extracts from the diary:

8 september 2014

...Today we went into a cave, for the first time in my life. It was a cave with the beautiful name of saOche, which can be translated as «Voice». They say it warns cavers about an upcoming danger ... (let’s not talk about this today).

I had never experienced such positive emotions before. Well, perhaps only when I flew low- altitude aerobatics with Viktorovich, then I was so filled with the same feeling of delight that I couldn’t hold my emotions to myself and shouted with delight.

SaOche is a beautiful cave with a system of underground lakes, we swam there in rubber diving suits, enjoyed the beauty of this new world which I was just opening to myself and about which I had had no idea the day before...

Tomorrow we will talk about stressful situations in which Loredana would like to put us.

It suddenly came into my mind that there are two types of stress. One is sudden and strong, the other is not so strong but of a longer effect! These are two different kinds of load. The resistance to the first type of stress we successfully train when we jump with parachutes and perform flights. The second type of stress manifests itself in such situations as finding oneself in caves, when you are forced to be there not for several seconds or minutes but for days and weeks.

9 september 2014

... So in the course of survival-in-the-cave trainings man’s resistance to the second type of stress is perfectly trained. I mean that this is the way to create such life conditions which seem not to stress you out within short periods, say, an hour or two or even a day, but within a week the total impact of all external factors on you is much greater than the stress that you can experience jumping with a parachute, even with 40-second delayed openings.

So, today our luggage was brought, by evening time my leg seemed to be in perfect shape again, the first symptoms of the flue (caused by drinking cold water) were got rid of with the remainder of the mouthwash (with which I rinsed my throat), I got to know the people better and our communication became more comfortable. Life is getting better. :)

We trained our main actions in the cave, edged our way through narrow tunnels ... and saw another beauty of the caves which captivated me the same much as yesterday's swimming in the underground lake! After that I made for myself two major safety rules:

1 Before making any sharp movement in a narrow place you should look carefully where your head or your back will happen to be, so as not to hurt them against, say, hanging stones;

2 No matter how captivating and breathtaking the entrance into a new gallery is you should not rush forward but look back and REMEMBER the way back!!! ...

10 september 2014

The Sos Jocos cave day ... …let’s continue our talk! The day was perfect today!

What I really like is the fact that even though we work every day from 7.3 am till 10pm and so there is only one hour left to have access to the Internet and to wash ourselves ... and there is no time for sleep at all, but for all that every day I have new and only positive impressions and emotions!!!! And I am grateful to the Lord for letting me meet such wonderful people like Scott and Loredana.

So, today was a great day which we spent in the cave called Sos Jocos, this name means «Games». Can you guess why? Our task was the following. In groups (our group included Scott, Antonio and me) we should go ahead following the instructor and make our way through all the cave cracks after him. At the end by your wish you could try to move through the narrowest of them on your own, it was so narrow that you could easily get stuck in it ... I was twice as happy. First, because both Antonio and Scott unanimously agreed to overcome this obstacle together with me (it seemed that in the other group not all the members were unanimous about it), and secondly, I ticked myself off a little leading the way through this narrow tunnel (it wouldn’t have been so interesting if I had followed anybody).

So, this cave is called «Games» because there are many tunnels there which go in different directions. Our instructor Francesco (it is a male name, don’t mix it with the female name Francesca) deliberately moved a bit faster for us not to be able to remember the way back, so on the way back we really lost our way twice. One time we were not ashamed of it because the instructors themselves stopped us as they did not want us to go along rather a slippery balcony, so it was for our safety reasons. Though when we were walking along it, it was obvious that we were taking the right direction. But the second time the situation was so ridiculous that we were ashamed of it - we got out of a relatively narrow tunnel into a fairly large gallery, several narrow tunnels led from it in different directions. Nobody remembered where we should go next. We began to try to move through one, then another, and we did not notice a huge opening of a tunnel just on our right (do not forget that in caves all the light comes only from helmet lanterns)... Besides, at the end of the path Loredana helped me with a hint one more time ... I felt thankful to her but at the same time a little upset because she had to do it.

As a result, we with Scott decided that if we went to study new caves again then every time we would draw «a map» with the number of tunnels and the information which one we picked up and which one we would take on our way back.

After reaching the surface we had about 20-minute rest in a little open-air cafe indulging in a small glass of beer and pleasant relaxing music. I was sitting enjoying the atmosphere around but even more pleasant for me was the understanding that even though this trial of the day was not easy but in our group there had been no tension.

It is nice to understand that you can do it. And it is even nicer to understand that we can do it together! Speaking about psychology. I understood today that with Scott, Mathias and Sergei I would get on well. Scott and Mathias feel the same about me, for Sergei it is not difficult at least... Luka is a good guy, he can easily be the heart and soul of the company, he instantly grasps your ideas, before you can say a word (he is obviously an excellent pilot) ... ...Well, well, my mind seems to be so tricky … I have never treated this seriously. Thank you, Loredana.

Good night to everybody.

11 september 2014

So, good evening, everyone!

Tomorrow in the evening we are going into a cave for six days. Today has been a hectic day with everyone’s learning the basics of mountaineering. I think everyone has learned it well enough, though this volume of vital information and skills should not be learnt and practised on one day only. As Francesco said it takes novice cavers a week to get trained! Mathias surprises me in a positive way. He is a scientist, an engineer by education, he has a broad outlook and certain leadership qualities. By his good and not abrupt manners you could easily think that he wouldn’t survive any strenuous physical activity in non-standard conditions. But it turned out otherwise! At the same time we easily understand each other. I am sure that we are going to feel easy and comfortable together.

Well…I feel strange taking notes of my thoughts and thinking about it at all. Perhaps it is another proof that it takes me longer to grow up.

So, in general, now everything is in its place, everything is ready and all is quite clear to me. To tell the truth, I wouldn’t have been able to do it any better. We are all ready and this shouldn’t be a trial for me (I am not going to count the days there, in fact) but a terrific journey in the company of great people!

In two minutes the lights and hot water will be turned off – I have to rush to take a shower!

---

In the caves, as well as during the parachute operations training there were such people around us who did not just do their work but for whom the sky or caves were their universe. These people are great professionals, they ceased to think about getting any profits for their work or maybe they have never thought about it at all, they just do the job of their life, it is their world. And it is obvious that because their job in the both cases has to do with a very serious risk, they all are men of generosity and honesty, and you feel it when you find yourself near them, looking into their eyes, talking to them. Kindness, openness, warmth, calmness, self-confidence, inner power, an excellent sense of humor – they all have these features which make you feel respect for them and arouse in you a desire to be like them. For me, being beyond the borders of our everyday reality, in an enchanting and extraordinary New World, surrounded by these amazing people who are so unlike others, was a real gift of fate! I will be forever grateful to these people for opening new worlds to me, introducing me to them, opening their hearts and souls to me and for helping me to become better.

When I was at one of our regular sessions in Houston, I could not but fly for a weekend to visit my friend in Los Angeles, simply because we are close friends and also because we had some business to finish ...

We were so happy to see each other again that time flew that evening ... and all of a sudden it was morning again and we were standing at the foot of Wilson mountain. This time we were to make a 50-kilometer speed march which we had planned the previous time when we met, along the winding mountain paths.

Technically speaking, there were new nuances about this adventure. For example, we had to run along a path that was narrow and far from being hard under our foot. In addition to that, under the overgrowth of bushes, trees and bizarre century plants (Spanishsolder) which had very big and spiny leaves, this path was edged to the very brink of the cliff. Realizing that it was hardly possible to descend the path and come into the gorge without any assistance remaining safe and sound at that, and knowing that our mobiles were not catching a network signal, we fixed our eyes on the path not to stumble and lose our footing. Besides, the shadows cast by all this rich vegetation on the ground were uneven and broken, so they were like a mosaic made of curious dark and light spots. This made it much harder for any running man to see stones and obstacles on the path. After running so for about thirty minutes I suddenly realized that my eyes were tired from running, this feeling I had never experienced before. You run in the shade, then suddenly you come out into a glaring sun, then in the shade again and so on … it felt like +38 in the shade at the foot of the mountain ...

This time, the adventure was not without some victims. While running we devoured a hundred of innocent small flies which got into our mouths some accidentally, some on purpose. And since we had a water limit of 3 liters per person it was rather stupid to wash them down with water and thus waste it. The insects left a bitter taste in our mouths ...

When we ran up high enough to meet no bicyclists in helmets and dashing down, we saw a curious structure with an inscription which had some mystery about it because it said «Cape of Good Hope» (see the photo). This house seemed closed and so this hope turned out to be somebody's irony which however seemed to give additional acceleration to the cyclists in whose eyes we could see a new hope whenever we met them.

Anyway, it was already dark when we crossed the longed-for finish line with the figure of 50.5 km on it, and without changing our clothes we headed to the nearest store to buy champagne. Our legs were tired from running and weak at the knees, the muscles were stone-like, the blisters in silent bewilderment and with every step seemed to cry: "Who needs it? And why?” Sweaty all over and covered with dust, we crept out of the car and to onlookers we could look like two Winnie-the-Poohs that had climbed onto a tree bee hive where they ate too much honey, were severely stung by bees and fell down from the tree onto the dusty ground. That was how I pictured us to myself.

But my story today is about another thing. When I was in the so-called first form of my «space school» preparing for one of our regular tests - the soundproof chamber, I learned that every cosmonaut (to be more exact, the commander of a crew) had to pick up his own unique calling signal before the flight. In addition to this training we had to study other disciplines, among them the stellar map, and at once I knew that my calling signal would be «Altair.» With it I passed my test in the soundproof chamber. Later I learned that my calling signal was already used by some other cosmonaut. Never before had anyone taken the same calling signal as somebody else, but I so strongly felt it was my signal and I did not want any other. I thought about it and suddenly a bold idea came into my mind - to ask the respected and experienced cosmonaut Gennady Ivanovich Padalka to let me use his calling signal when his flying career was over. When I was appointed commander of the Soyuz MS-04 spaceship and already had experience of spaceflights as a flight engineer, holding my breath I blurted out my humble request to him ... And I heard: «Why not? This calling signal should continue its flying career. Sasha, come on, let’s maintain this tradition!» I was happy though could hardly believe my ears.

Gennady Ivanovich, despite his solid experience, continues his flight and parachute trainings, which are my favorite ones. We make a pair when we play badminton. Recently he has performed an aerostat parachute jump. It is obvious that we have some similar interests, perhaps, even some traits of the character ... And the wish to fly with the same, very specific calling signal «Altair» can be a proof of it too. Perhaps, there is some truth when people say that the name not so much shapes your personality but rather characterizes you in a certain way.

So these were my thoughts which I shared with my friend during our speed march.

— And when I was young I was a leader of a student construction team called «Altair»! The man was smiling at me. The man who has constructed rockets since his early childhood and who now works at the most daring and exciting space project of our time. The man who is Dr. Sci. in Physics and Mathematics, Professor of Moscow State University and UCLA, a leading researcher at JPL NASA, a corresponding member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), Candidate for Master of Sport in weightlifting ready to test his stamina and mould his character in difficult situations, and my friend - Vyacheslav Gennadyevich Turyshev!

Right was the poet saying «So, what then is my name to you?»!

The examination complex training is far behind now, I can breathe out and relax for a couple of days. We have not yet left for Baikonur to see off Sergei's crew, but we are already beginning our preparation and training as the main crew of the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft ... That is how I started this story which I am finishing here at Baikonur during the pre-launch training of the crew of the Soyuz MS-05 spacecraft. Anyway, I would like to share with you my unusual experience and unforgettable emotions that I had not so long ago.

Talking about my flight experience, I can say that one of my favorite flight assignments has always been training the skills of performing a final approach and landing in the situation of an engine failure. A pilot performing this landing approach should be capable of analytical calculations in real time and have perfect piloting techniques. You should compare the rate of the altitude decrease and the rate of the reduction of the distance to the airfield, taking into account the wind which can vary at different heights, and you should try either to shorten or extend the landing path, then you extend the flaps for landing a bit sooner or a bit later – all this is done to finally approach the runway at the correct height necessary for landing. And if in the case of a regular landing the altitude should be 260 m when the plane is 4 km away from the runway, then in the case of simulating an engine failure at the same distance the altitude should be 1000 m (for an L-39 aircraft). At first it seems that you do not just glide down onto the runway but nose-dive onto it and it happens at a higher speed if compared to a regular landing. This is an unforgettable feeling and real satisfaction when you realize that you have managed to do it – analyzed and calculated every detail, made corrections when necessary and finally landed the aircraft within "the exact landing area". Later on I found out that during the preparation for the Lunar program to train the skills of landing onto the Moon Soviet cosmonauts were trained to perform the landing in the situation of an engine failure on helicopters - they performed an auto rotation landing. They were going down to a chosen area. Then under the pressure of the incoming air flow the main rotor spun and at the very last moment, a few seconds before touching the ground, the pilot by changing the position of the main rotor blades for some moments created the lift power enough to reduce the vertical speed and land safely. In April 2017 I had a chance to fly with the best pilots and to see what the simulation of an engine failure with the helicopter is! I was absolutely delighted, I really want to learn this skill when flying a helicopter.

But who could ever fancy that a landing can be performed in the emergency case of an engine failure even when you fly a balloon!

Not so long ago we decided to fly a hot air balloon with our kids. I will not describe here the details of our preparation, just will say that our adventure began absolutely quietly, the only mischief was mosquitoes which flew out on their evening hunt and which tried in every possible way to ease the burden of our balloon and carry us away one by one before the balloon was launched. Finally, we got into the air, the kids liked everything and I did too. Our pilot was very emotional and easy-going and he was an aviator too. I do not know why but I asked him: "And at what vertical speed does the balloon go down if the burner is turned off?" The answer came at once, technical and precise. With the burner switched off the balloon goes down at the same vertical speed as the parachute when novice parachute-jumpers jump with it - 5.5 m/s. I was surprised at myself for asking this question. Why did I ask about this? Another 20 minutes we spent in a beautiful drifting mode flight under the clouds hardly moving up in the sky. Slowly we were moving «forward», that is where the wind blew. A small forest was stretching below. We were «to come into a landing» right after we flew over a couple of fields spreading behind the forest, when suddenly our pilot began fussing about something and doing something quickly with the gas cylinders. I looked down and all was clear to me - we were parachuting down onto this very forest below, just like the good old D-1-5u parachute does (this is the first parachute of a novice parachute-jumper) at the speed so well known to me of 5.5 m/s ... The lower we went, the faster our pilot tried to reattach the hoses from some gas cylinders to others. I was trying to help him and kept the burner always turned on but it was unlikely to be able to heat anything. I hoped though that it would give us a chance to win at least a few seconds. This is when you feel adrenaline rushing through your veins! When an impenetrable swampy thicket was well visible below and when I saw the large black unblinking eyes of a squirrel (I am joking of course) I realized – there was no time left. I was scared, scared for the kids. Landing at this vertical speed requires a definite position of the arms and legs of the parachute-jumper for him not to get injured and any parachute-jumper knows it. As well as I do. But the kids! Besides we were not in the parachute suspension system but in the basket with the space hardly enough for the four of us and four gas cylinders! I was afraid that the kids could get injured when landing (my daughter already had a cast on her limb at that time), that the basket could land onto an old dry trunk which were in abundance around there and then topple over - how would I be able to catch and hold my kids then?! And the kids watching our fussing around seemed to have a fun of the flight ...

As soon as the balloon began to touch the tops of the trees it began to slow down and, pierced in some parts with the branches, it moved to a stop. We were hanging 4 or 5 meters above the ground, just at the level where that squirrel could be sitting at that moment and looking at us with the questioning eyes - this question I could easily guess but never answer.

I had already started to crack my head how to go down from this height and get out of the forest which was small in size but completely impenetrable, when a backup burner came to life again and using it we were able to take off and the pilot landed the balloon perfectly right behind the forest. After the landing I found out that for some reasons the main gas cylinders did not have so much gas as our pilot had thought, that this balloon was not his own and that this situation could have been easily avoided if the pilot had known the design of the burner used on this balloon: all one had to do was to switch one valve to connect another pair of gas cylinders ... I really hope that it was a good lesson for him and he drew all necessary conclusions for himself. This incident made me think about many things: the responsibility of the balloon flight organizers, the responsibility for my kids ... The kids were delighted with both the flight and «the falling down» and the situation in general. So I decided not to think too much about it.

There was only one thought haunting me - about this small forest which happened to be on our way. And only later I realized how lucky we had been to have this forest in our lives at the right time and in the right place - the landing into it turned out to be soft and safe, unlike any landing with an engine failure onto an open area. So this time, like many times before, everything turned out well thanks to the force of circumstances which do not depend on people. Someone can call it a coincidence, well, let them think so. But I would rather say «thank you» to the Lord!