Bertalan Farkas
He broke the atmosphere's ceiling for Hungary, becoming the first person from his nation to journey into space and inspiring a generation.
Born 1949 (age 77)·Hungarian cosmonaut·Birthday: August 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bertalan Farkas was a military pilot whose life trajectory changed when he was selected for the Intercosmos program, a Soviet initiative to fly citizens from allied nations. His rigorous training culminated in 1980 aboard Soyuz 36, where he spent over a week conducting experiments on the Salyut 6 space station. This mission instantly made him a national hero, a symbol of Hungarian scientific prowess during the Cold War. After his spaceflight, Farkas transitioned into aviation business and became a prominent advocate for space exploration and international cooperation. His legacy is that of a pioneer who transformed the dream of space from an abstract concept into a tangible Hungarian achievement.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bertalan was born in 1949, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bertalan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1949
#1 Movie
Samson and Delilah
Best Picture
All the King's Men
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Bertalan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1949Born
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1954Started school
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1962Became a teenager
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Could drive
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1967Could vote
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Turned 21
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1979Turned 30
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 40
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 50
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 60
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 70
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 77 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first Hungarian citizen to travel to space as part of the Soyuz 36 mission in 1980.
- Helped conduct scientific experiments aboard the Salyut 6 space station during his week-long mission.
- Served as a fighter pilot in the Hungarian Air Force before his selection as a cosmonaut.
- Later led Airlines Service and Trade as its president, remaining in the aviation industry.
Did You Know?
He is recognized as the first Esperanto-speaking person to travel to space.
Hungary became the seventh country in the world to have a citizen in space thanks to his flight.
His backup for the mission was another Hungarian, Béla Magyari, who never flew.
The mission patch for Soyuz 36 featured the Hungarian flag alongside the Soviet emblem.
“From orbit, the borders you fight over are just lines you cannot see.”
