TOKTAR AUBAKIROV IS 75 YEARS OLD

The 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan's Independence is marked by the 60th anniversary of the flight of the first man into space from the Baikonur cosmodrome, the 30th anniversary of the first Kazakh flight into space and the 75th anniversary of the first Kazakh cosmonaut Toktar Ongarbayevich Aubakirov.

As the First President of Kazakhstan – Elbasy N. A. Nazarbayev recalls: "The establishment of Kazakhstan's sovereignty began with space itself. 30 years ago, on August 31, the Baikonur Cosmodrome was declared the property of Kazakhstan, and on October 2, the first Kazakh cosmonaut T. Aubakirov flew into space as a research cosmonaut of the visiting expedition to the Mir orbital complex.
With this flight, Kazakhstan declared itself as the state that became the owner of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. "Today, Baikonur is perhaps the only priority for Kazakhstan in the world economic competition," Nursultan Nazarbayev said.
On the occasion of the anniversary of space exploration, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted: "The era of human space exploration began 60 years ago. Yuri Gagarin's flight from the Baikonur Cosmodrome has become a vivid symbol of the progress of world science. Kazakhstan will actively participate in international programs, master space technologies," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev wrote.
Toktar Aubakirov is the 256th cosmonaut of the world, the 72nd cosmonaut of the USSR, the first Kazakh cosmonaut, Major General of the Air Force of Kazakhstan, Hero of the Soviet Union, Halyk Kaharmany of the Republic of Kazakhstan. His biography is the story of a man who conquered space and realized a childhood dream. He was led to this event by a long and eventful path, filled with many victories and difficult challenges.

Toktar Ongarbaevich was born on July 27, 1946, in the Karkaraly district of the Karaganda region. Toktar was the first boy in the family after two sisters. After graduating from the 8th grade, Toktar moved to the city of Temirtau and worked as a turner at a foundry and mechanical plant.  

Young Toktar from childhood looked up to the sky and dreamed of becoming a pilot. In his youth, he simultaneously studied at an evening school, engaged in parachuting and studied flying at the Karaganda DOSAAF Aviation Training Center (later called the Aeroclub) named after N. Abdirov. He graduated from the Armavir Higher Military Aviation School of Air Defense Pilots and the Higher School of Test Pilots named after M. Gromov, after which he switched to test work. His idols were pilots Nurken Abdirov and Talgat Begeldinov.

He improved his skills at the Fedotov Test Pilot School (Russia, Moscow Region) and the Ordzhonikidze Moscow Aviation Institute.

His professionalism helped him become the first in the USSR to make a non-stop flight to the North Pole with two refuelling flights in the air. For this, in 1988, he obtained the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Toktar Aubakirov was the first in the USSR to take off a supersonic MiG-29 fighter from the deck of the heavy aircraft carrier "Tbilisi".With this achievement, he wrote his name in the Guinness Book of World Records. During his career, he tested more than 50 different types of aircraft.

Recalling his first flight, T. Aubakirov noted: "When you look at the Earth, you see that it is small and defenceless compared to billions of stars and planets. It is an amazing color – a turquoise shade that I have never seen anywhere before. This is a grain of sand that we do not take care of, although we should. In space, I felt most of all longing for my mother… During the flight, this longing was in me all the time before returning to Earth."
The duration of his stay in space was 7 days, 22 hours and 13 minutes. He conducted experiments on the first Kazakh space program "Garysh-Kazakhstan", recording salt vortices over the dried-up Aral Sea, as well as taking samples of his blood for medical research.
Toktar Aubakirov as an experienced pilot and cosmonaut was awarded many awards, including the Order of the Badge of Honor (1987); the title Hero of the Soviet Union (1988); the Order of Lenin (1988); two Orders of the Golden Cross of the Republic of Austria (1988 and 1993); Honored Test Pilot of the USSR (1990); Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR (1991); Order of the October Revolution (1991); Pilot-Cosmonaut of Kazakhstan (1994); The title of "Halyk Kakharmany" (1995); The Order of Otan (1995); Medal "For Merits in Space Exploration" (April 12, 2011); title "Honorary Citizen" of Karaganda, Kokshetau, Atyrau, Karkaraly district.
The famous cosmonaut is an Honored Master of Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, he has the 1st category in volleyball and the third category in parachuting.
Toktar Ongarbaevich pays great attention to youth in his public activities: "Youth is the future for me. We must be able to educate, pass on the best, teach to live for real. People should not forget that a person is born to be free, honest, decent. I try to always remind you of these qualities. I will continue my work, I will see young people, teach life lessons, I want to reach more young people."
The conquest of space is one of the most dangerous jobs and humanity is interested in the living stories of the heroes of our time, the documentaries "Conqueror of Heights", "Life History. Toktar Aubakirov" have been made about it.
In the Library of Elbasy, the reader can find the following literature about Toktar Aubakirov: "Cosmonauts of Kazakhstan: 1991-2015: Information guide" (Comp.: Nurgalieva S. K., Kangozhin I. B.); Sergazin E. "The famous pilot and cosmonaut Toktar Aubakirov celebrates his anniversary" (Kazakhstanskaya Pravda).
In the exposition of the Library of Elbasy, T. Aubakirov's exhibits are presented: a glove of a pilot-cosmonaut, a stamp with his image. The archive of the Library of Elbasy contains the material of T. Aubakirov's congratulatory message addressed to the First President N. A. Nazarbayev on the occasion of the new year 1995.