Famous Russian Pilots

This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

Valentina Tereshkova

(The First and Youngest Woman in Space)

Birthdate: March 6, 1937

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Bol'shoe Maslennikovo, Russia

Former cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova is currently part of the Russian State Duma. In 1963, she became the first woman to fly into space when she went on a solo mission aboard the Vostok 6. She has won many honors, such as the Hero of the Soviet Union.

Lydia Litvyak

(Fighter pilot)

Birthdate: August 18, 1921

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Died: August 1, 1943

Marina Raskova

(Navigator)

Birthdate: March 28, 1912

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Russian Empire

Died: January 4, 1943

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Andrian Nikolayev

(Soviet Cosmonaut and the Third Soviet to Travel into Space)

Birthdate: September 5, 1929

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Shorshely, Russia

Died: July 3, 2004

Initially part of the Soviet army, Andrian Nikolayev later became a pilot and then joined the Communist Party, before stepping into cosmonaut training. He soon scripted history as the third Russian cosmonaut to make it to space. He was also the husband of pioneering female cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova.

Svetlana Kapanina

(Pilot)

Birthdate: December 28, 1968

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Shchuchinsk, Kazakhstan

Pavel Belyayev

(Fighter Pilot)

Birthdate: June 26, 1925

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Chelishchevo, Russia

Died: January 10, 1970

Yevdokiya Bershanskaya

(Military personnel)

Birthdate: February 6, 1913

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Dobrovol'noye, Russia

Died: September 16, 1982

Valery Chkalov

(Test Pilot Who Was Awarded the Title Hero of the Soviet Union (1936))

Birthdate: February 2, 1904

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Chkalovsk, Russia

Died: December 15, 1938

Yekaterina Budanova

(Fighter pilot)

Birthdate: December 6, 1916

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Smolensk Oblast, Russia

Died: July 19, 1943

Nadezhda Popova

(Pilot)

Birthdate: December 17, 1921

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Shabanovka, Russia

Died: July 6, 2013

Irina Sebrova

(Flight Commander)

Birthdate: December 25, 1914

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Tetyakovka, Russia

Died: April 5, 2000

Khiuaz Dospanova

(Pilot)

Birthdate: May 15, 1922

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Kurmangazy District, Kazakhstan

Died: May 20, 2008

Gennady Strekalov

(Astronaut Who Was Part of the First Russian-American Flight to the Mir Space Station)

Birthdate: October 26, 1940

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Mytishchi, Russia

Died: December 25, 2004

Initially a coppersmith at the Russian aircraft manufacturer OKB-1, or RSC Energia, Gennady Strekalov later joined the company’s engineer cosmonaut group. He not only flew 5 times in space, but was also part of the first Russian-American collaborative flight to the Mir space station. He was made a Hero of the Soviet Union.

Anatoly Kornukov

(Military officer)

Birthdate: January 10, 1942

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Kadiivka, Ukraine

Died: July 1, 2014