Aleksandr Lazutkin

Aleksandr Ivanovich Lazutkin (; born October 30, 1957) is a former Russian cosmonaut.

Life and career Lazutkin attended the Moscow Aviation Institute and received a degree in mechanical engineering.

1997 Progress supply mission Lazutkin was aboard the Mir Space Station when a collision occurred with the uncrewed Progress M34, its supply craft, which was piloted by Vasily Tsibliyev while on the Mir. The collision, considered the worst in the history of the space age,

Quick action by the three crew members managed to avert immediate disaster. Lazutkin successfully cut some of the wires connecting the Mir and the Spektr using a small dinner knife. A few days after the collision, Tsibliyev and Lazutkin were ordered to attempt to repair the Mir, while Foale was ordered to the Soyuz-TM escape pod. The station was eventually secured safely.