Association of Space Flight Participants: History and Development Issues (Part 2).

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the establishment and development of the International Association of Space Explorers with the active involvement of the Soviet and Russian cosmonauts. The Association is a unique and influential space community for cooperation and experience exchange; it unites 430 people who have been in space and represents 38 countries of the world. The paper examines a period of about half a century (1970–2020): a 10-year historical background of the establishment of the Association, about 5 years of its pre-history and about 35 years of its history. It also presents the Association’s activity area, general structure and symbols, systematizes the main events and achievements of this organization as an actor and history object of world and domestic manned astronautics in scientific, technical, political, socio-cultural and sociological aspects, summarizes the main conclusions about development problems.