TP-82: The Gun Cosmonauts Carried On Space Missions

HughPickens.com writes James Simpson has an interesting story about the TP-82 survival pistol that Russian cosmonauts carried into space with them on missions between 1982 and 2006. But calling it a pistol is slightly misleading—the TP-82 was essentially a sawed-off, double-barreled shotgun with a short-barreled rifle added onto it. Having a gun inside a thin-walled spacecraft filled with oxygen sounds crazy, but the Soviets had their reasons. Much of Russia is desolate wilderness. A single mishap during descent could strand cosmonauts in the middle of nowhere. In March 1965, cosmonaut Alexey Leonov landed a mechanically-faulty Voskhod space capsule in the snowy forests of the western Urals 600 miles from his planned landing site. For protection, Leonov had a nine-millimeter pistol. He feared the bears and wolves that prowled the forest—though he never encountered any. But the fear stayed with him. Later in his career, Leonov made sure the Soviet military provided all its cosmonauts with a survival weapon. For the Soviets, the weapon was a case of "better safe than sorry," and from 1986, it was a permanent fixture in the portable survival kits of every Soyuz mission. "Astronauts of all nationalities—including Americans—have trained with the TP-82," writes Simpson. "And still today, before they ride the Soyuz to space, they must complete a Russian survival training course in the Black Sea and the Siberian forest."

Comments

Oh nos - a gun!

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

>> in the wake of the past year's tragic violence involving professional astronauts...the open access to such lethal hardware needs reappraisal

Good thing there's no other way to die on the way to, in or on the way back from space.

Re:Sharks!

[Tablizer]

So the "gun thing" is not really a "Russian thing", as implied; it's simply old-fashioned boy scouting: "Be Prepared".

Re:Proof of gun safety?

[Charcharodon]

Along those lines I'd like to apply general aviation training requirements before being allowed to drive a car.

So after 35 hours of instruction, somewhere around $7000 is costs, able to pass an annual physical and mental evaluation, and speak clearly in English, . You'd be allowed to drive a 50hp, two passenger car up to 45mph, during the day, non-highway roads only, and only when the weather is clear and sunny. This would apply regardless of which country you live in btw.

If you were ever convicted of reckless behavior or a DUI you'd lose your license forever.

As far as gun owners needing to be astronauts, that's over-kill. Idiots with guns tends to be a self correcting problem. I thought all liberals preached natural selection. Why do they fight so hard against it?

Re:Makes sense

[Anonymous Coward]

I've heard

Don't listen to those people any more. They are stupid and they will get you hurt.

lunatic hunter

The operative word there is `lunatic'. It's wasn't a bear. It was a mosquito. And he didn't shoot it in the face. He used a blow torch. This is another person you should not listen to.

No pure oxygen

[SysKoll]

Having a gun inside a thin-walled spacecraft filled with oxygen sounds crazy,

Having a spacecraft filled with pure oxygen sounds and is crazy. The Apollo 1 fire (1967) showed just how crazy it is. Which is why they don't do it anymore. Neither ISS nor the Russian capsules have a pure oxygen atmosphere. In fact, the ISS atmosphere is ground-level pressure with 20% oxygen. Only the EVA suits have a low-pressure, high-oxygen breathable mix.