Bertalan Farkas

Infobox Astronaut
name =Bertalan Farkas


type = Intercosmos Cosmonaut
nationality =Hungarian
date_birth =birth date and age|1949|08|2
place_birth =Gyulaháza, Hungary
occupation =Pilot
rank =Brigadier General, Hungarian Air Force
selection =1978 Intercosmos Group
time =7d 20h 45m
mission =Soyuz 36/Soyuz 35
insignia =|

Bertalan Farkas (in Hungarian: Farkas Bertalan) (born August 2, 1949) was the first Hungarian cosmonaut and the first Esperantist in space. He is currently the president of Airlines Service and Trade. With Charles Simonyi's travel, Farkas is no longer the only Hungarian who has been to space.

Born in Gyulaháza, he graduated from the George Kilián Aeronautical College in Szolnok in 1969. He then attended the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute in the Soviet Union, from where he graduated in 1971.

After earning his qualifications at University, Farkas joined the Hungarian Air Force and rose to the rank of Brigadier General. In 1978 he volunteered to become a cosmonaut and was selected as part of the fifth international programme for Intercosmos. His backup cosmonaut was Béla Magyari.

Farkas, along with Soviet cosmonaut Valeri Kubasov, was launched into space on Soyuz 36 from Baikonur Cosmodrome on May 26, 1980, at 18:20 (GMT).

While in orbit, Farkas conducted experiments in material science. After 7 days, 20 hours and 45 minutes, and having completed 124 orbits, Farkas and Kubasov returned to Earth, landing 140 km southeast of Dzheskasgan. Bertalan Farkas was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on June 30 1980 [ru icon [http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1994 Biography] at the website on Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia]

Farkas is married to Anikó Farkas, and has three children: Aida, Ádám and Bertalan. He loves football and plays it often.

He is a member of the Hungarian Democratic Forum, a Hungarian conservative political party, and was its candidate at the 2006 parliamentary election in the Baktalórántháza election district.

References

External links

* [http://www.spacefacts.de/bios/international/english/farkas_bertalan.htm Spacefacts biography of Bertalan Farkas]
* [http://www.magyarorszag.hu/angol/orszaginfo/magyarok/hiresek/farkasbertalan/farkas_a.html His biography at Hungary.hu]