Aleksandr Panayotov Aleksandrov
At a glance
| In Bulgarian | Александър Панайотов Александров |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 December 1951, Omurtag, Bulgaria |
| Died | 10 July 2026, aged 74 |
| Known for | Second Bulgarian to reach outer space |
| Space mission | Mir EP-2, aboard Soyuz TM-5 and Soyuz TM-4 |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel, Bulgarian Air Force |
| Later role | Deputy Director of the Institute of Space Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences |
Source: Wikipedia: Aleksandr Panayotov Aleksandrov1
Early career
Aleksandrov was born in Omurtag, Bulgaria, on 1 December 1951. He graduated from the Bulgarian Air Force Academy in 1974 and earned a degree in technical sciences in 1983. He served in the Bulgarian Air Force, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel, and also worked as a research scientist.1
Spaceflight
Selected as a research cosmonaut on 1 March 1978, Aleksandrov joined the Soviet Union’s Intercosmos programme. He was first assigned as backup to Georgi Ivanov on Soyuz 33, which did not reach the Salyut 6 space station. Aleksandrov later joined the prime crew of Soyuz TM-5. He launched on 7 June 1988 with commander Anatoly Solovyev and Viktor Savinykh, and became the first Bulgarian to reach a Soviet space station.1
Later career
Aleksandrov returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TM-4 on 17 June 1988. His spaceflight lasted 9 days, 20 hours and 10 minutes. He later became Deputy Director of the Institute of Space Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. His honours included Hero of the People’s Republic of Bulgaria and Hero of the Soviet Union, both awarded in 1988, and the Order of Stara Planina, first class, in 2003.1
Sources
Facts checked 13 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information.
