In 1962, Vitaly Zholobov was a medical examination at the Central Military Research Aviation Hospital and in November received admission to the Central Medical Flight Commission. On January 8, 1963, at a meeting of the Mandate Commission, was recommended for enrollment in the cosmonaut detachment. Order of the GSC committee of the Air Force No. 14 of January 10, 1963 was enrolled in the CPC as a cosmonaut listener.
From September 1966 to 1971, Vitaly Zholobov was trained under the Almaz program as part of a group of cosmonauts. On July 6, 1976, he made his cosmic flight on the ship “Soyuz-21” together with the pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR Boris Volynov (call sign “Baikal-1”). The next day there was a dock with the Salute-5 orbital station. It was the first expedition to the Salute-5 orbital station.
In the course of the 49-daily space flight, scientific information was obtained on the physical characteristics of the Earth’s atmosphere, studies were conducted, which showed how different physical processes occur in weightlessness. On August 24, 1976, astronauts returned to Earth.
On March 30, 1976, Vitaly Zholobov was appointed as a cosmonaut of the Special Customary Group. On January 25, 1978, he was appointed as a cosmonaut instructor, commander of a group of cosmonauts. On January 7, 1981, the Order of the Commander-in-law of the Air Force, Vitaly Zholobov was dismissed from the Armed Forces and is expelled from the cosmonauts detachment for health. Excluded from the lists of part January 31, 1981.