Polyakov spent 437 days between January 1994 and March 1995 on the Mir space station. It circled the Earth more than 7,000 times before returning. Polyakov had trained as a doctor and wanted to prove that the human body could withstand extended periods in space. Upon landing, Polyakov refused to be transferred from the Soyuz capsule, as is common practice to allow readjustment to the pull of gravity. Instead, he was helped out of the pod and walked himself to a nearby transport vehicle. He had previously spent eight months in space on a mission between August 1988 and April 1989. Polyakov received numerous awards and medals for his service to the Soviet and Russian space programs, including the titles of Hero of the Soviet Union and Hero of the Russian Federation, as well as the Order of Lenin. His death was announced by the Russian space agency on Monday. “His research helped prove that the human body is ready to travel not only in Earth orbit, but also in deep space,” Roscosmos said in a statement, according to The Moscow Times. He did not state the cause of death.
