Remembering Georgy Grechko (1931-2017)

Cosmonaut Georgy Grechko and the author, March 1993.

This one in particular saddens me.

Grechko was the first cosmonaut I met - and I had the fortune of meeting him twice.

Back in 1990, ICon was doing a series of science and science-fiction conventions at what was then known as SUNY-Stonybrook. That year, Deke Slayton (which is another story) and Grechko were there.

I didn't know how to get photos, so I did the next best thing. I found a copy of the "Almanac of Soviet Manned Space Flight" (which I still have!) and waited in line for Grechko's signature.

When Grechko saw the book, he exclaimed, "Soyuz!" as he saw the line drawing of his spacecraft. He excitedly thumbed through it, and I asked whether or not he wanted a copy. His handler replied the best thing would be to send Grechko one through his address, not through the embassy. Grechko took out his business card, signed that (and I still have it, too!); and I did send him a copy of the almanac.

Second time was at Ocean County College in New Jersey. I was heavily into Star Trek at time, and wrote articles for an international Trek news magazine.

Knowing Grechko was a spacecraft designer, I presented him a copy of the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" technical manual. A photo of that made the local paper (and yes, that is my Starfleet Press Corps badge I'm wearing.)

I never got him to sign that picture, unfortunately, not wanting to lose the only copy I had (I since located the first-generation print), despite a friend taking it to two Association of Space Explorers meetings.

Damn. Despite meeting him only briefly, and many years since those encounters, I will miss him.

Adidasovsky! BOOM. [Drop mic]

Yes.

Left, Ron Sega, two-time Shuttle mission specialist, and Sergei Krikalev, six-time flyer, including two Shuttle missions. Krikalev and Sega both flew on STS-60, and it is on a page with an essay by Charlie Bolden talking about that flight that they signed. Colorado Springs, Colo., 2 April 2017.

Sega and Krikalev were my No. 201/202 Shuttle astronauts in my "Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years" book, since I don't know who signed first. (Although I suspect it was Sega, since Krikalev signed underneath him.)

Sega and Krikalev were the No. 214/215 overall autograph in the book as well.

I also sent two photos to be signed. One was a photo of Krikalev coming through the hatch of the International Space Station on STS-88. The other was my STS-60 crew photo, which needed just Sega's autograph.

I had bought the photo signed by Krikalev and Jan Davis. Then, slowly but afterward picking up the pace, I sent it to the remaining crew members for their autographs. Ken Reightler, the pilot. Then Charlie Bolden, the commander. 

Almost two years later, in late January 2017 I finally sent it to Franklin Chang-Diaz for his signature. At that point I considered it crew complete, as Sega can be a hard autograph to obtain (waaaay long ago I had written him and got - I believe - a signed photo.)

And then I saw that Sega would be doing an appearance at an event with "Astronaut and Cosmonaut Meet-N-Greets – Get autographs, ask questions or take selfies with true space heroes!" I asked, got the permission to send my book and photos, and here we are.

As mentioned, Krikalev had already signed the photo, and, "Mr. Krikalev seemed to get a kick out of seeing the photo with his signature, and showed it around to his fellow Russians who were with him. He said he didn’t know when he signed it. :)"