Pham Tuan is known as the first Vietnamese astronaut to fly to the universe. He was also the first Asian to fly into space in the Soviet manned and unmanned space program - called Interkosmos in 1980. He was a Lieutenant General and awarded by the state. title of hero of the people's armed forces.
After graduating from high school in 1965, Pham Tuan enlisted in the army and he was the one who asked to join the air force.
When conducting the test, he did not meet the requirements to become a pilot student but was only sent to work as a mechanic. When they arrived in the Soviet Union, because many members were unable to respond to the training process, they selected a few more trainees from the mechanic to learn the pilot. Pham Tuyen is one of those chosen.
Despite many difficulties in the learning process, but with effort, he completed the course in 1967, and returned to the country to participate in combat at unit 5, Sao Do Air Force Regiment.
In 1972, he was again selected as one of the training pilots to fly a night flight.
The first night flight he launched took place on December 18, 1972 and on the night of December 27, 1972 in a battle he shot down an enemy B-52 aircraft. And was sent by the General Vo Nguyen Giap to commend and reward on the morning of December 28, 1972.
On September 3, 1973, he was conferred the title of hero of the People's Armed Forces by the state when he was a lieutenant and chief of the 5th Company of Sao Do air force regiment.
In 1977 he was sent to study at the Gagarin Air Force Academy of the Soviet Union.
Also in 1980, while carrying the rank of lieutenant colonel, Pham Tuan was conferred the title of labor hero and Ho Chi Minh Medal.
At the same time, he was awarded the Lenin Medal by the Soviet Union and the title of Soviet hero.