The first Vietnamese to travel to space. Pride of Vietnam.

Pham Tuan is a Vietnamese pilot and astronaut. He was the first of Vietnam and Asia to fly to space in 1980 in the Soviet Interkosmos program. Pham Tuan was born on February 14, 1947.

He joined the army and was recruited to the Vietnam People's Air Force in 1965, he graduated from the Military Pilot School in the Soviet Union in 1967.

On July 23, 1980, Pham Tuan, together with the astronaut Soviet Viktor Vassilyevich Gorbatko was launched into space from the Baikonur space airport on Soyuz 37.

They perform mission on Salyut 6 space station with two other Soviet astronauts. . During the eight days in orbit, astronaut Pham Tuan performed 30 tasks, including conducting experiments on dissolving mineral samples in a zero gravity state. He also conducted experiments plants grown on mulberry flowers. Pham Tuan also photographed Vietnam from Earth orbit. Pham Tuan is in space for 7 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes. He made a total of 142 orbits around the Earth.

On July 31, two astronauts finished their mission, and returned to Earth on July 31 on Soyuz 36.

In addition, on the night of December 27, 1972, according to the official historical document of the Vietnam People's Army, he shot down an American B-52, became the first person to shoot down this aircraft from the air and return safely.