He graduated from Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School in 1957 and started working at the Special Design Bureau Number One (which is now RSC Energia) as an engineer, working on the Vostok spacecraft.
Ia lulus dari Perguruan Tinggi Teknik Moskwa Bauman pada 1957 dan mulai bekerja di Biro Rancangan Khusus Nomor Satu (sekarang RSC Energia) sebagai insinyur, bekerja pada pesawat luar angkasa Vostok.