Pham Tuan's Near Miss: The Untold Story of Becoming Vietnam's First Astronaut

The dramatic and little-known story behind the selection of Pham Tuan, Vietnam's first astronaut, has been revealed in a new book by author Nguyen Cong Huy, titled 'Anh hung Pham Tuan va chuyen bay vao vu tru' (Hero Pham Tuan and the Space Flight). On July 23, 1980, Pham Tuan, along with Soviet cosmonaut Viktor Gorbatko, embarked on a historic journey into space aboard Soyuz 37, marking a significant milestone as the first Asian to venture into orbit. However, his path to becoming an astronaut was far from straightforward. In early 1979, Vietnam began selecting astronaut candidates. At the time, Pham Tuan was studying at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in the Soviet Union and did not initially participate in this domestic selection. The selection process was conducted in collaboration with Soviet experts and Vietnamese doctors. Out of the four individuals initially planned, only three pilots met the requirements. Following this, the Vietnamese side requested the Soviet Union to select an additional candidate from those already at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Academy. Among the trainees called for medical examinations for this supplementary selection were Nguyen Duc Soat, Nguyen Thanh Quy, Pham Phu Thai, and Pham Tuan. Pham Tuan himself believed he was merely a reserve candidate, given his disqualification from a pilot's medical examination 15 years prior. Remarkably, Pham Tuan progressed through the selection, becoming part of the group of four, and then the final two candidates. After undergoing training at the Star City, Pham Tuan was ultimately chosen as the primary astronaut, while Bui Thanh Liem was designated as the backup. Author Nguyen Cong Huy noted, "Normally in pilot training, people might be demoted from pilot to technician, but Pham Tuan went the opposite way, transitioning from technician training to flight training." The book also recounts one of the most rigorous physical and psychological tests: sitting on a high-speed centrifuge for 10 minutes to assess vestibular system tolerance amidst fluctuating blood flow to the brain. Pham Tuan was the only one who endured this without experiencing nausea or loss of balance. Pham Tuan, born in 1947, is a decorated hero. He was awarded the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces of Vietnam in 1973 for shooting down a US B-52 bomber in 1972, becoming the first pilot to down a B-52. He also received the title Hero of Labor of Vietnam and Hero of the Soviet Union in 1980, making him the only Vietnamese person to be honored as a hero three times. The author describes Pham Tuan as a simple, modest, and amiable person in his personal life. The book not only preserves the historical moment of Pham Tuan's space flight but also portrays the resilience of air force soldiers in their quest to conquer the skies. Source: VnExpress