I donot remember who sent me the file
"Russian Space" 2009 No. 2, pp.
72-74
He himself was fond of underwater hunting, sang the songs "Time Machines" in the doorways and was preparing to become an astronaut.
And the test cosmonaut Roman Romanenko is no longer preparing his 13 year old son for flights to the stars.
Pitifully.
The cosmic dynasty may be interrupted...
HE BLUSHED WITH PRIDE FOR HIS FATHER -
- Roman, do you remember your father's first flight into space?
- I remember.
It was 1977.
A very bright year for our family.
And the first flight of my father, and the birth of my younger brother Artem.
I was 6 years old then, I was already aware of everything.
However, both for me and for my mother, the news that my father flew into space was a surprise.
Previously, they tried not to advertise rocket launches until the last moment.
We only knew that in December 1977, our father was in the reserve, that is, an astronaut understudy.
However, at the last moment, someone from the main team got sick, and the whole crew had to be changed.
That's how Yuri Romanenko found himself for the first time in space.
And immediately set a record for the longest stay in orbit — 96 days.
I've been waiting for my finest hour for decades
— Were you proud of him, bragging to your peers?
- I was proud, of course, but there was not much to brag to anyone.
After all, in the Star City, in our 2nd "space" house and in the next 4 m, only the families of astronauts lived.
I ran in the yard with the daughters of Leonov, with the sons of Kovalenko and Popov.
For us, the flights of our fathers were something quite normal, ordinary.
Moreover, we were not particularly spoiled by their attention.
They were always on training, then on business trips, then in space.
When I got into the company of other children, for example, at a pioneer camp, on the contrary, I was very embarrassed when everyone found out who my father was.
He used to visit me, and then he would put on a real show at the camp.
Everyone surrounded him, took autographs.
They literally carried me in their arms, which made me blush terribly.
The girls immediately began to hit the wedges.
The boys were divided into two groups: some were looking for friendship with me, others were teasing: "Well, son of an astronaut, you're rolling like cheese in butter!"
— But you're not going to claim that you needed something, are you?
"Almost nothing.
We had a specialized store in the town, where only the families of astronauts were sold goods that were scarce at that time: jeans, sneakers - "botas", fanta, Coca Cola, cognac, Marlboro cigarettes...
Besides, after each flight of our fathers, we were removed from lessons and taken to the sea, to Cuba.
Then everyone was jealous when in December and January we returned black as Negroes — only our palms sparkled.
— Did you keep up with your studies after such trips?
"Sometimes.
I had to catch up.
— What were your favorite subjects?
- History, geography, singing, physical education... to be honest, I studied without much enthusiasm.
I especially hated the literature lesson.
Although in my spare time I just read Belyaev's fiction.
CONDITIONS "CLOSE TO COSMIC"
BUSINESS CARD
Yuri Viktorovich Romanenko, born in 1944, retired colonel, pilot cosmonaut of the USSR, performed three space flights, for two of them in 1978 and 1980 he received the "Hero of the Soviet Union"award.
Romanenko Roman Yuryevich, born in 1971, lieutenant colonel, member of the cosmonaut squad of the Gagarin Space Center.
Before enlisting in the detachment, he served as a military pilot of the 70th separate test training aviation regiment of the Special purpose RGNII CPC.
He was part of the backup crews three times.
— Did your father punish you for "deuces"?
- Yes, Dad beat me with a belt, deprived me of watching my favorite movies until the weekend.
I suffered especially when the TV series "Seventeen Moments of Spring"was on.
Even as a punishment, they were forced to cram English.
— Well, you say that the cosmonaut fathers practically did not deal with you...
- My father really often went on business trips, but when he trained in Star City, he always paid attention to our upbringing.
On the weekend, we didnot have any peace at all.
Getting up at 6 am, charging.
Just had breakfast — all in the car.
Our white "Volga" (then all cosmonauts had exclusively white or black "Volga") since the evening, it was equipped for a trip to the river.
"Fishing?"
- Not in the usual way.
My father infected me, my brother, and now my son with spearfishing.
This is when you dive into the water in equipment with a harpoon and track down the fish on its, so to speak, territory, in equal conditions with the victim.
We hunted both on our river Melezhe near Zvezdny, and on the seas.
I remember that in Cuba they even made stuffed animals from harpooned spiny fish.
— In the transition age, many teenagers conflict with their parents.
Have you ever had something similar?
— I felt the lack of understanding on the part of adults for the first time when I was forbidden to study music.
My friends and I had our own rock band, but there was no place for rehearsals.
We would sneak into school after school and shout at the top of our voices the songs of the Beatles, Time Machines, Resurrection, Kuzmin.
That's why we were chased by both teachers and parents.
They scolded, gave bad grades on behavior.
Sometimes, out of desperation, we had to move to the entrances and continue playing there.
— No, I didnot indulge in alcohol either at 14 or 15.
Moreover, already in the 7th grade I decided on my future profession, I leaned on sports — I was engaged in tennis, swimming.
WHY WOULD A SON NEED SUCH A FATE?
- Roman, did you want to become an astronaut yourself, or did your father recommend it?
— At first, I didnot really think about who to be.
The decision came after an excursion with my father to the gym of the Cosmonaut Training Center.
I, a sixth grader, was seated on a swivel chair.
They spun it, I remember how it should be, but at least for me, "nausea is not in one eye".
And then the doctor said in surprise: "Yes, you can be sent into space even now!
Such a vestibular apparatus is not given to everyone by nature."
Well, I decided to become an astronaut.
And my father advised me.
He says that since he has adopted my genes, follow in my footsteps and go.
In the 8th grade, I went to the Leningrad Suvorov School, and then to the Chernihiv Higher Military School of Pilots, which many cosmonauts, including my father, graduated from a long time ago.
— So maybe now it's your son Maxim's turn to be guided along the same path, for the continuity of generations?
— No, I donot want him to be an astronaut.
It used to be that everyone was infected with real patriotism, the profession of an astronaut was considered prestigious.
And, most importantly, young cosmonauts were in demand.
In my father's time, beginners "went" into orbit after 3-4 years of training.
I havenot been able to get into space for 10 years!
I am already ashamed in front of my family and friends.
They will also think that I simply do not reach the set bar.
Although compared to my other colleagues, I am still in a better position.
Three times I was appointed an understudy, and once I was even planned to be the main crew.
But I didnot fly.
The times are like this now: commercial interest often comes to the fore.
Space tourists pay a lot of money, so they are put on the flight instead of new astronauts.
In general, I do not want my son to wait for his finest hour for decades, it is better to let him learn another profession during this time.
But I myself do not lose hope, at any moment tell me to fly — and I am already ready.
My generation is probably.
the generation of the last romantics, who at all costs achieve their goals.
Moreover, having flown to the orbital station, I plan to try to join the lunar crew in the future.
— And what is your son doing now?
— He, like me once, plays rock in the school ensemble.
However, thank God, they are not being driven now.
On the contrary, everything is very well organized.
The other day, for a good study, my wife and I even gave him a drum kit, because Maxim is our drummer.
By the way, the current guys also sometimes sing songs of "Time Machines".
But besides this, Maxim has another passion — a theater studio.
They even go on tour with the school troupe to other cities.
At his leisure, between classes and classes in school studios, the son plays computer games, writes music.
— And the youngest daughter?
What hopes does it show?
— She is a very smart, sociable girl.
Both in the kindergarten and at home everything is under her control.
Despite the 4 year old age, she already swims confidently with us — she learned to go to the sea.
But her energy sometimes creates difficulties.
For example, in the evening it will play out — you canot stop it, and then he canot sleep until one o'clock in the morning.
Sometimes you even slap her in the heat of the moment.
Then, however, I always regret it.
"Well, that's what this little man did to you, that you beat her?"
- I reproach myself.
— Does the wife also adhere to a strict parenting style?
— No, she is a very gentle person, children can climb on her head, and she will not even raise her voice.
— So you have "good" and "evil" parents in your family?
- Sort of — I took on a thankless mission.
Someone needs to be punished.
But despite the fact that I am sometimes strict with children, they still feel how much I love them "Daddy, my beloved, has come!" - this is how Anastasia shouts when I come to the kindergarten for her, and this is incomparable happiness.
Natalia Vedeneeva
