John Gridunov

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John Ivanovich Gridunov (

explosive decompression while testing a space suit.[1] He is the only person to experience a short-time acceleration of 50 g (490 m/s2), during an emergency landing imitation.[2][3]

Gridunov also sustained a 19 g (190 m/s2) centrifuge acceleration in the spine-chest direction without related accommodation.[3]

Life

John Gridunov was born in

Voroshilovgrad Air Force Academy. During the Second World War, he served as a mechanic in Soviet 999th, 58th and 80th Air Regiments. Though Gridunov never received a degree in engineering, he finished the Serpukhov Air Mechanics Military Academy in 1944. In November 1949–April 1950 he was a student of Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy
.

Gridunov joined the group of spacecraft equipment testers when the

roubles. He also investigated the human capability during an emergency landing in cold water (−4 °C (25 °F)) and in heat (60 °C (140 °F
)) with a limited amount of water, food and medicines.

During the touch-down after a 12-meter (39 ft) free fall on lead cylinders, Gridunov experienced a record acceleration of 50 g (490 m/s2), which broke the related device.[3] He recalls that episode as follows: "I heard them [engineers] command me: “Attention!” “Ready!” These are normally followed by the “Drop!” command. But that time they delayed the command for some reason, and I bent aside from the seat a little. The stroke pressure was so huge that I had a buzzing in my head for another three days".[1]

Despite never being on a real space mission, Gridunov had friendly relationships with cosmonauts (particularly with Vladimir Komarov and Pavel Popovich) and spent holidays with them. Once summarizing, Gridunov said: "Cosmonauts overcame distance, conquered space. I was overcoming myself, conquered my own inner space."[5] He died in August 2015 at the age of 88.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c "A Ground-Based Cosmonaut". Voice of Russia. Archived from the original on October 11, 2007. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  2. ^ "Scientific experiments conducted on human corpses keep space exploration alive". Pravda. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  3. ^ a b c Наземные космонавты (in Russian). Novosti kosmonavtiki. Archived from the original on 2011-04-12. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  4. ^ a b Джон Гридунов: «Где он – предел человеческих возможностей?» (in Russian). Novosti kosmonavtiki. Archived from the original on May 18, 2008. Retrieved 2010-01-30.
  5. ^ "The Space race: Life on Mars". European Commission. Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  6. ^ John Gridunov profile
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