A native of Sevastopol, Anton Nikolaevich Shkaplerov was enrolled in the cosmonaut corps in May 2003, by that time he had command of the squadron of the Air Force air regiment in Kubinka near Moscow. The very first space launch took place only 8 years after being enrolled in the detachment. On November 14, 2011, Shkaplerov flew into space as commander of the Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft. Now Anton is on his fourth expedition, which he went on as Soyuz MS-19 commander on October 5 last year. There are less than two months left before it ends.
– Good afternoon, Anton, congratulations on your anniversary! How is the flight going? What are you planning to do on your birthday?
– Hello, the flight is going well, I accept congratulations. Today, Sunday, is a day off at the station, so no major work is planned. Looking forward to a private video conference with my family and friends.
Is there a gala dinner with pie planned?
– Festive cake… Yes, we will make it from the set of products that we have at the station. I think that we will organize a festive joint dinner for the entire ISS crew in the Russian segment. There will be both American astronauts and a European one. Last time, for the birthday of my partner Peter (Peter Dubrov. – Auth.), Kayla (Kayla Barron. – Auth.) made a pie together with Tom (Thomas Mashburn. – Auth.).
Help “MK” Expedition 66 of the ISS is currently operating in orbit, which includes two Russian cosmonauts (Anton Shkaplerov and Petr Dubrov), four American cosmonauts (Thomas Mashburn, Mark Vande Hay, Raja Chari, Kayla Barron) and one German – Matthias Maurer.
– Anton, is becoming an astronaut your childhood dream?
– Yes, indeed, this is my childhood dream.
Which flight do you remember the most?
– This is my fourth flight, but I remember all the flights very well. Each one is interesting in its own way. Almost all the time new interesting colleagues, friends appeared, various tasks were set.
– Going into orbit on October 5, 2021 on the Soyuz spacecraft, you were the first to fly it alone. Was it exciting?
– In principle, I was not particularly worried either before or during the start. The only excitement came when the automatic docking system with the ISS failed and I had to switch to manual control, to dock the spacecraft with the station myself. In practice, it turned out to be a little more difficult than what I worked out on simulators. Therefore, I experienced excitement, understanding the great burden of responsibility that lay on me. After all, there were members of the Challenge project on board. This is director Klim Shipenko and actress Yulia Peresild. They had a short flight, which was specially organized for the filming of the first feature film in space.
– What was the most difficult for you in the ISS-66 mission?
– I think the most difficult was the first spacewalk, which took place this year. The exit turned out to be full of surprises, quite difficult, but at the same time very interesting.
Help “MK”. During the spacewalk, Anton Shkaplerov and Petr Dubrov carried out work on the integration of the new Prichal node module into the Russian segment. In March, according to the plan, a manned Soyuz MS-21 should dock to the Berth. However, the work really began with a surprise – drinking water from a special tank spilled into Shkaplerov’s spacesuit, as a result of which the astronaut began to freeze while the station was on the shady side. He transmitted messages to the Mission Control Center that his “fingers did not obey”, but at the same time continued to work.
– What other important tasks on the ISS will you have to complete before returning to Earth?
– One of these days, the Japanese cargo ship Cygnus should arrive, after which, in March, we should meet the crew that will replace us on board – this is commander Oleg Artemyev with two flight engineers – Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov. Well, then – undocking and return to Earth (it is scheduled for March 30. – Auth.).
– I remember that before the launch there was information that during the flight you should test a new material for protection against radiation. Did you manage to do it?
– On February 17, the Progress cargo spacecraft docked with the ISS and brought these materials to the station. I, as the scientific director of this experiment, am starting the tests, which will continue at the station after our departure. This is a long term experiment.
***
By the way, this birthday of Anton Shkaplerov is not the first one he celebrated in space. His 46th birthday in 2018 also coincided with a flight into orbit, as did his 43rd birthday in 2015.
Astronaut Alexander Samokutyaev told us about how birthdays are usually celebrated in orbit:
– It is customary to celebrate birthdays at the station by the entire crew. As a rule, we all gather in the Russian segment and set the table. I remember how we celebrated Shkaplerov’s birthday in 2015. We had a good company then: I, Anton, Elena Serova, the Americans Barry Wilmore, Terry Wurst and the first Italian woman in space – Samantha Cristoforetti. Well, we did then!
– Did you drink alcohol?
– No, what are you – only tea and juice! I mean, they noted very sincerely, talked a lot, sang songs.
Was there musical accompaniment?
– Certainly. On board the ISS there is a guitar and even an old Ionika synthesizer.
Does music in space sound like it does on Earth?
– Of course, because at the station – the atmosphere familiar to us. Although some of my colleagues noted that the sounds change somewhat. I remember one time when we flew with Ron Garan and found out that our landing was postponed – two months later – out of longing, he even composed a song and performed it with a guitar. (laughing.)
– Let’s return to the feast, what was on the table when you celebrated the birthday of Anton Shkaplerov?
“I don’t remember exactly right now. As a rule, we try to treat our friends with what they like best from our diet. The most delicious is fresh fruit, if they remain, they are first laid out on the table. Then – cold cuts, canned fish. Many astronauts, especially those who have already flown with us before, fell in love with our cottage cheese with various additives and Russian buckwheat with meat. This is as exotic for them as their appetizers are for us – a cold appetizer consisting of small portions of meat, nuts, olives and other vegetables, or a real fried steak. Americans, by the way, love our tea bags. It has a more natural taste than their instant.
– Did you celebrate your birthday in zero gravity?
– Directly in space – it was not possible. But somehow I turned 45 years old the next day after landing. We boarded on 12 March 2015. By the time we got to our dispensary in Star City, my birthday came. All my friends gathered to congratulate me, they also joked that until I now change my passport due to my 45th birthday, I won’t go anywhere from the sanatorium (not everyone really wants to sit there after the flight for three weeks).
– What were the parameters of the body the next day?
– Everything was fine, the doctors counted everything. (Laughs.)
What did they give you then?
– Commander’s watch with the symbols of the TsPK (Cosmonaut Training Center. – Auth.), I still keep them, although I use space ones every day.
How are they different from earth?
– They were designed for use in zero gravity and generally in an unfavorable environment – very strong, reliable, they have never failed.
– Can they withstand moisture?
– No, we usually don’t swim in them, we save them. Foreigners are exploiting their own in orbit, be healthy. And all because NASA takes them from them after the flight. The same astronauts who are part of the crew of our Soyuz spacecraft and receive watches, among other equipment, from RSC Energia, leave them after the flight as a keepsake. Therefore, they usually save our watches too …
Sometimes astronauts who have an anniversary or just a birthday in space prepare their “hand luggage” for the celebration in advance – they take on the flight products with which they would like to please themselves and their colleagues. Cosmonaut Sergei Zaletin remembered that he took with him pickles packed in several plastic bags and raw smoked sausage.
“Such earthy products are usually not found in the main diet, and therefore you miss them very much,” he shares.
Very often surprises on birthdays are arranged by relatives who send their gifts, audio and video messages on a cargo ship on important dates. And Pavel Vinogradov, who celebrated his 60th birthday on the ISS in 2013, was even sent into orbit by his wife … festive costumes. On white shirts for friends, black butterflies were playfully drawn, and a tie – especially for her husband.