The scientific-research vessel Kosmonavt Viktor Patsaev was built in 1978 for communication between spacecrafts and the Earth and for Lunar programmes implementation. Special vessels were built for these tasks. The SRV Kosmonavt Viktor Patsaev was built according to the “Selena M” project in collaboration with the “Baltsudproekt” design engineering bureau and constructors of the A.A. Zhdanov Leningrad shipyard. It was a part of the “Star Flotilla” aimed at implementation of programme for human’s space breakthrough.

The scientific-research vessel Kosmonavt Viktor Patsaev made 14 scientific-research voyages working with the following space vehicles: orbital stations Salut-6, Salut-7 and MIR; ships Souz and Progress and space shuttle Energia-Buran. But useless flotilla’s ships were eliminated except the Kosmonavt Viktor Patsaev.

CHRONOLOGY

1968 – was built as a wood cargo vessel at the A.A. Zhdanov Leningrad shipyard.

1977-1978 – was reequipped into a scientific-research vessel at the same shipyard.

1978 – was renamed as Kosmonavt Viktor Patsaev. G. Tittov, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union and space pilot, was a chairperson on formal acceptance of the ship.

November 24, 1978 – flag of the USSR was raised.

June 19, 1979 – pennant of the USSR AS was raised. N. Rukavishnikov, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, space pilot; Vera Patsaeva, V. Patsaev’s widow; Svetlana, daughter; and Galina, sister, saw the ship to its first voyage.

1979-1994 – the vessel made 14 scientific-research voyages in the Central and Southern Atlantic, provided communication with working with the orbit station MIR; spacecrafts Souz, Progress and Molniya; carried out works onthe space complex Energia-Buran. Heads of expeditions: A. Maslennikov (1978-1984), V. Botsva (1985-1988), N. Kolesnikov (1989-1990), V. Kluchnikov (1990-1991) and S. Manakov (1991-1994).

June, 1995 – was passed to Russian Space Agency.

June 14, 2000 – came to Kaliningrad from Saint-Petersburg.

April 14, 2001 – was moored at the museum quay.

April 23, 2001 – the first exposition was opened (“Space Odyssey”).

April 12, 2002 – the planetarium was opened.

July 1, 2006 – the exposition “Star Are so Far” dedicated to W. Bessel was opened.

November 5, 2006 – the exposition “Three Elements of the Star Flotilla” was opened