Millions on Earth looked on as astronaut Stafford opened the entry hatch of the Soyuz 19 spacecraft and shook hands with cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. The joint Soyuz-Apollo mission was one of the first steps in ending the Cold War. For the space travelers themselves, the flight turned out to be something more than successful scientific collaboration or means to a political rapprochement. Russian-American Business correspondent interviewed Lt. Gen. Thomas Stafford in Oklahoma City.   

- The year is 1975. Nothing really forecasts the end of the Cold War. Who came up with the idea of the joint Soyuz-Apollo Mission?

- From the Russian side, it was Academician Keldish. On the American side, it was NASA administrator, Dr. James Fletcher.

We were the two great powers - the only powers in space. We, the Americans, have been to the moon. The Russian had also made considerable accomplishments in space exploration. They had projects for a space station. We thought that maybe we should do something together. The scientists came and talked to the state officials. They said how important a joint flight would be. Finally, President Nixon, Secretary Brezhnev, and Kosygin decided in April 1972 that there will be a mission: Apollo will be docking with Soyuz in the summer of 1975.

It was an interesting time because each country had eight to ten thousand strategic nuclear weapons aimed at one another.

- Your visit to the Soyuz craft was one of the first times that an American astronaut got to see Soviet space technology. How different did you find it to be from what you were used to.

- We found that their system engineering was very good. The only place that they were not as sophisticated as we were was electronics.

- How did the Soviet Union look to you at that time? Were you afraid of the Soviets as many Americans were during that epoch?

- When we were in Russia as tourists, we were given wonderful hospitality. It was interesting for me to see how things are in Russia. We visited several places, including Leningrad and the hometown of Tselkovskiy. Here, people said that Russia was some decades behind the West. As for me, I really liked the trip. It was an enjoyable experience.

- After the Soyuz-Apollo flight your relationship with the Russian commander Alexei Leonov on a personal level evolved into tight friendship…

- We had to work together to solve a lot of the issues and problems. After the flight we worked jointly on projects. We visited each other several times. Over the years, Alexei has become a brother to me.

Most recently, he helped me to pick up my two Russian sons.

- The legends have it that after the historic moment when you and cosmonaut Leonov shook hands, he offered vodka to the Americans. How true is this story?

- After our handshake, when the cameras were no longer rolling, Alexei Leonov offered us two tubes with labels Vodka Extra and Vodka Stolichnaya. We took the tubes with some hesitation. We were in space, on duty. When we tried to drink from the tubes, we discovered that they contained Russian soup borsch.

- What language did you speak in space?

- The Russian cosmonauts spoke English. We had to learn each other’s languages. I spoke Russian with an Oklahoma accent.

- Alexei Leonov is a good artist. What works of his do you have?

- He is a great artist. I have a painting of a winter scene of a church in Moscow with snow on the ground. In my home in Virginia, I’ve got a smaller countryside scene. Everything is covered with snow too.

- Space exploration is infamous for the emergency situations that occur practically all the time. What were some of the crisis moments that you experienced?

- During the launch of the Gemini 6 craft, a plug fell out of the bottom of the rocket. The computer gave us instructions to eject. The rocket might have exploded. At that time, the craft had not yet lifted off the ground. It would have been very dangerous to eject. We chose to stay. We did the first space rendezvous on that mission. It was not easy to do a space rendezvous on the Gemini IX mission. 

- At one time you were an advisor to President Reagan. With what other high level political figures did you work?

- I was a defense advisor for Ronald Reagan. In 1990, I was asked by President Bush and Vice President Quayle to prepare a program for the return to the moon with an objective to stay there. I assembled groups of scientists and prepared recommendations for U.S. space exploration programs.

I also served on the National Research Council as a member of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering boards.

I was the chairman of the NASA Advisory Council Task Force on Shuttle-Mir docking missions

- You retired from the American Air Force as a Lieutenant General. It would seem that you have everything. It is like the American Dream come true. Then you decide to adopt two Russian children? Why?

- I have two daughters that have already grown up. With my second wife we traveled all over the world, going hunting and fishing together. Then we decided that we needed to settle down with children. I wanted a boy. My wife was very wise. She said that we needed two sons. We thought it would be good if our kids were from Russia. I know the Russian people, I love the Russian culture. I visited Russia fifteen times. I’ve lived there. The Russians are similar to Americans in many good ways.

I called my brother Alexei Leonov. He helped us to pick up two good boys that are healthy and good in mathematics.

- When you adopted your children, Michael was 13 and Stas was 9. How have they adapted to the new environment? Have they learned English?

- They have learned the language well. They have learned television probably too well. Their math skills are still strong. They are doing well in school. Michael got five A’s for this year. Everything is fine.