Leonid Popov
# Leonid Popov

Leonid Ivanovich Popov (Russian: Леони́д Ива́нович Попо́в; born August 31, 1945) is a former Soviet cosmonaut.

## Biography

Popov was born in Oleksandriia, Kirovohrad Oblast, Ukrainian SSR. He was selected as a cosmonaut on April 27, 1970, and flew as Commander on Soyuz 35, Soyuz 40 and Soyuz T-7, logging 200 days, 14 hours, and 45 minutes in space before his retirement on June 13, 1987. Popov is married and has two children.

He was awarded:

* Twice Hero of the Soviet Union;
* Three Orders of Lenin;
* Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (Russian Federation);
* Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR;
* Honoured Master of Sport.

Foreign awards:

* Hero of the Socialist Republic of Romania;
* Hero of the Republic of Cuba
* Hero of Socialist Labour (Vietnam);
* Order of Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) .
