Zenon Jankowski

Aircraft pilot and astronaut

Zenon Jankowski (born 22 November 1937) is a retired fighter pilot, colonel of the Polish People's Army and astronaut. He was a reserve crew member of the 1978 Soyuz 30 space mission.

Zenon Jankowski was born on 22 November 1937 in the city of Poznań, Poland, into a working class family. In 1956, he graduated the Marcin Kasprzak High School (now known as the St. John Cantius High School) in Poznań. In 1956, he enrolled in the Officer Flight School No. 5 in Radom, Poland, and in 1957, he transferred to the Polish Air Force University in Dęblin, Poland. On 13 March 1960, he had graduated and was passed out with the rank of second lieutenant, and later the same year, was given the rank of lieutenant. Prior to his graduation, he became a flight instructor. Following his graduation, from 1960 to 1962, he taught second standard bearer officer cadets how to pilot MiG 15 jet powered fighter aircraft. Since 1962, he served in the fighter bomber unit in the Polish People's Army Air Force. In 1966, he was sent to the Academy of the General Staff of the Polish Army, which he graduated in 1969. Following his graduation, he served in the fighter bomber unit, where he was the commander of the fighter bomber flight unit, squadron's rifle service chief, squadron commander, and air regiment navigator. In 1976, he became the deputy commander of the air regiment, and was given the rank of lieutenant colonel. On 27 November 1976, Hermaszewski and Jankowski were chosen as the two final candidates, and on 4 December 1976, they began their training in the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, located in Zvyozdny gorodok, Soviet Union. Duration of the mission, until 5 July 1978, Jankowski served as a consultant of flight director. Later, he returned to the service in the Polish People's Army Air Force. He eventually retired, with the rank of colonel. The history of Jankowki was depicted in 1978 documentary films Zenon Jankowski, and Wita was Polska. Both films were written and directed by Bohdan Świątkiewicz, and made by Wytwórnia Filmowa Czołówka (Czołówka Film Studio).