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I wrote to Cosmonaut Bertalan Farkas and got a few signatures back in the mail on 8/16/13.
This is the ONLY 3x5 Index card on signed by him! Rare in this form! He also added "Hungary" below his signature.
Offers always considered.
USA winner please add $5.99 P&H. International will be guided through Global upon checkout. Thanks!
Bio:
Bertalan FarkasHungarian - (RFSA)RetiredDate of Birth: Aug. 2, 1949Age: 76
Bertalan Farkas (born August 2, 1949) is the first Hungarian cosmonaut and the first Esperantist in space. He is currently the president of Airlines Service and Trade. With Charles Simonyi's space travel, Farkas is no longer the only Hungarian who has been to space (he is still the only astronaut, as Simonyi flew as a space tourist).
Status:SuccessMission:
Soyuz 35 was the eighth mission to visit the Salyut 6 space station and carried the EO-4 expedition, which was the fourth long-duration crew for the station. The mission began on April 9, 1980, 13:38:22 UTC, launching Commander Leonid Popov and Research Cosmonaut/Flight Engineer Valery Ryumin into orbit. They docked with the station the next day. During their 186-day stay on the station, EO-4 crew conducted various scientific experiments, some repairs and replacements to the station and were visited by three uncrewed Progress cargo spacecrafts and 4 crewed Soyuz vehicles. Soyuz 35 swapped vehicles with the Soyuz 37 crew, which allowed for a longer stay in orbit. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on October 11, 1980, 09:49:57 UTC.
Status:SuccessMission:
Soyuz 36 was the ninth mission to visit the Salyut 6 space station and carried the EP-5 crew, which visited the long-duration Soyuz 35 resident crew. The mission began on May 26, 1980, 18:20:39 UTC, launching Commander Valery Kubasov and Research Cosmonaut Bertalan Farkas, the first Hungarian cosmonaut, into orbit. They docked with the station the next day. During their 7-day stay on the station, EP-5 crew conducted various scientific experiments, including measuring radiation doses received by the crew. Soyuz 36 swapped vehicles with the resident station crew, and returned in Soyuz 35 spacecraft. The mission concluded with a safe landing back on Earth on June 3, 1980, 15:06 UTC.
Bertalan Farkas (born August 2, 1949) is Hungary's first and most famous cosmonaut, a fighter pilot who flew to space on the Soviet Soyuz 36 in May 1980 as part of the Interkosmos program, becoming the first Hungarian in space and the first Esperantist in space, and continues to be a prominent figure in Hungarian space exploration.
- First Hungarian in Space:Farkas achieved this milestone in 1980, making Hungary the seventh nation with a representative in space.
- Background:He was a skilled fighter pilot in the Hungarian Air Force before his historic spaceflight.
- Interkosmos Program:His mission was part of this Soviet-led international space cooperation program.
- Esperantist:He holds the distinction of being the first person who speaks Esperanto to travel to space.
- Post-Flight Career:After his mission, he received high honors, including "Hero of the Soviet Union," and remains involved in space advocacy, serving as president of Airlines Service and Trade and advisor to modern Hungarian astronaut programs.
Significance:
Farkas's journey symbolized Hungary's contribution to space exploration, inspiring future generations and paving the way for other Hungarian space travelers like Charles Simonyi and Tibor Kapu.
