space.com
Aug 27, 2026
On this day in space! Aug. 26, 1978: Sigmund Jähn becomes 1st German in space
AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication
On August 26, 1978, East German pilot Sigmund Jähn became the first German in space aboard Soyuz 31, joining Soviet cosmonauts to the Salyut 6 station. Selected through the Interkosmos program, Jähn spent nearly eight days conducting 25 experiments in biology, physics, and materials science, and captured Earth images with a new multispectral camera. After returning safely, he led East Germany’s Space Training Centre until 1990, later consulting for DLR and ESA, and had asteroid 17737 named after him. He died in 2019 at 82.
💡 Why It Matters
- · Jähn’s flight demonstrated early international cooperation in space, setting a precedent for the multinational crews that now populate the International Space Station.
