born september czech politician diplomat military pilot flew aboard march space czech space country soviet_union united_states entry czech_republic european_union considered astronaut european_union member czech ambassador russia early life military career born september city spent years studying observatory influenced father military pilot active member pioneers studied mathematics physics middle school earned awards track running meter meter meter events graduated proceeded aviation school trained graduated commissioned lieutenant served fighter pilot flying 1st fighter air regiment 1970s married wife czech actress daughter politician daughter anna second daughter years second wife called studied return czechoslovakia promoted captain appointed deputy commander fighter regiment went russia train soviet led space program following return space march spent time staff deputy director prague deputy commander flight division based graduated appointed highest command deputy 2nd stationed following velvet revolution relegated role director prague following retirement air force represented czech firm joint venture turbo moscow program captain joined program backup selected participate program flight experimented board capsule mission coinciding 30th anniversary soviet backed coup état including son czech mother father propaganda value stressing soviet cooperation denied retains pride voyage regardless circumstances country soviet_union united_states entry czech_republic european_union considered astronaut european_union march flight celebrated home country series factories civil recognized ceremony prague castle guest general secretary march member crew awarded medal hero soviet_union reaction flight included comments media focused fact able journey soviet needed joke went didn soviets send landed west_germany joked soviet counterpart hands controls touched permission french astronaut experienced behavior onboard political career previous business contacts russia appointed moscow trade economic counselor election candidate second list elected term july july member green left vocal proponent satellite warning bureaucratic delay opportunity chinese competitor reelected resigned czech ambassador russia december sat year president czech_republic appointed january appointment met controversy wishes foreign minister observers noted friendly history russians communist minority russia appointment represents pragmatic pro russia stance popular culture czech discovered september named featured independent comedy film called residents seek office brussels help tourism town sculptor jan created statue located metro station prague statue located slovakia
Vladimír Remek