Alexander Volkov

Alexander Volkov is a Soviet and Russian cosmonaut who flew three space missions between 1985 and 1992: a 1985 flight to the Salyut 7 station aboard Soyuz T-14, and two long stays on the Mir space station, in 1988 and 1989 aboard Soyuz TM-7 and in 1991 and 1992 aboard Soyuz TM-13. He commanded both Mir missions. His final mission launched with a Soviet crew and the Austrian Franz Viehbock, and the Soviet Union dissolved while he was in orbit, so he returned to Earth in a country that no longer existed under its old name.