Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria marks 55 years of space research and 45 years since the flight of а Bulgarian cosmonaut

Georgi Ivanov - the first Bulgarian astronaut
Photo: Lovech municipality

The Institute for Space Research and Technology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences will solemnly celebrate today its 55th anniversary together with the 45th anniversary of the flight of the first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov.  Bulgaria's first cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov will also take part in the event, which is held under the auspices of President Rumen Radev.

In 1969, the Scientific Group on Space Physics was founded at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, which in 1987 grew into the Institute for Space Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. 

The first Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov (right) with Soviet cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov before the launch of Soyuz-33, Baikonur, April 10, 1979.
In 1979, Georgi Ivanov was selected to join the crew of the Soviet spacecraft "Soyuz 33". On April 10 of that year, he took off from the Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, along with Soviet cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov. The mission of the first Bulgarian cosmonaut was to carry out scientific research and test new space technologies. 

Thus, Bulgaria became the sixth space country in the world after Russia, USA, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Germany.


Read also:



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

A cold front will pass through the country

On Tuesday , the lowest temperatures will be between 8 and 13°C; in Sofia - about 8°C. During the day, it will remain cloudy. There will be rainfalls in some places. The highest temperatures will be between 10 and 15°C; in the..

published on 11/3/25 7:45 PM

Bulgaria relies on the honorary consuls in the country to help create new partnerships

Bulgaria relies on the efforts of honorary consuls from around the world to help establish new partnerships in the fields of economy, trade, innovation, education and tourism. Our country can become more visible by restoring its positions and building..

published on 11/3/25 6:10 PM

EU report urges North Macedonia to include Bulgarians in the constitution

North Macedonia has still not adopted the necessary constitutional amendments aimed at including Bulgarians and other non-majority communities in the constitution. This is stated in the annual report of the European Commission on the progress of EU..

published on 11/3/25 5:22 PM