Sigmund Jähn's 1978 Soyuz flight: A milestone for international space cooperation
Sigmund Jähn, an East German Air Force pilot, became the first German in space on Aug. 26, 1978, flying on Soyuz 31 to the Salyut 6 station. He conducted experiments in biology, physics, and materials science during his nearly 8-day mission. His flight was an early example of collaborative international spaceflight, predating the common multinational missions seen on the ISS today.
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Jähn's selection came through the Soviet Interkosmos program, which offered allied nations the chance to fly their own personnel on Soviet missions. His earlier studies at the Gagarin Air Force Academy in the 1960s laid the groundwork for this opportunity. During the flight with Valeri Bykovsky, he completed 25
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