Aleksandr Lazutkin

Who is Aleksandr Lazutkin?

Aleksandr Ivanovich Lazutkin is a Russian cosmonaut.

He was selected as cosmonaut on March 3, 1992. His first spaceflight was Soyuz TM-25, on which he was the flight engineer.

He is married and has two children.

Lazutkin was aboard the Mir Space Station when the collision with the resupply vessel occurred. During a personal account of this event, he stated that it was clear that the air was escaping from the station. Although not audible above the noise of the station, the reduction in pressure became evident in the ears. The crew retreated to the safe part of the station and Lazutkin himself shut the hatch on the damaged section. Instantly, he knew air was no longer escaping but realised his hands were shaking as a result of what had happened. He describes quite wonderfully that he was so scared he didn't realize... that was why his hands were shaking. Shortly afterward, the station lost power as it receded around the night side of the earth. The silence and darkness he describes as unlike anything he had ever experienced before or since.