Origins & Early Life

Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya (Russian: Светла́на Евге́ньевна Сави́цкая; born 8 August 1948) is a Russian former aviator and Soviet cosmonaut who flew aboard Soyuz T-7 in 1982, becoming the second woman in space. On her 1984 Soyuz T-12 mission she became the first woman to fly to space twice, and the first woman to perform a spacewalk. She set several FAI world records as a pilot. Svetlana Savitskaya was born in a privileged family.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Her father, Yevgeny Savitsky, was a highly decorated fighter pilot during the Second World War, which later brought him to the position of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Soviet Air Defense. Her mother was a Muscovite Communist party leader. Without the knowledge of her parents, Savitskaya began parachuting at the age of 16. Her father realized her secret extracurricular activity upon the discovery of a parachute knife in his daughter's school bag. After his discovery, he further promoted this tendency.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

On her seventeenth birthday she already had 450 parachute jumps. Over the next year, she led record stratosphere jumps from 13,800 m and 14,250 m. Over the course of her flying experience, Savitskaya achieved three world...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• Abdulrazak Gurnah — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Acclaimed Tanzanian novelist and Nobel laureate exploring themes of colonialism and refuge.
• Akira Mutō — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): Imperial Japanese Army General implicated in war crimes during WWII.
• A'ja Wilson — Shared historical date (08-08 · Born) (1996): Elite American WNBA star known for multiple MVP awards and championship success.
• Anita Włodarczyk — Shared historical date (08-08 · Born) (1985): Polish hammer thrower, world record holder, and Olympic champion.
• Akira Yoshino — Historical peer (Born in 1948) (1948): Pioneering chemist credited with the first safe, production-viable lithium-ion battery.
• Al Gore — Historical peer (Born in 1948) (1948): American politician, businessman, and leading voice on environmental issues.
• 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament — Historical peer (Born in 1982) (1982): The 44th annual NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
• Alan Ritchson — Historical peer (Born in 1982) (1982): American actor known for roles in Reacher, Titans, and superhero franchises.
• AB de Villiers — Historical peer (Born in 1984) (1984): Legendary South African cricketer, celebrated for his all-around batting genius.
• 1948 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1948
• August 8 (08-08) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 8