Andrei Babkin

Andrei Babkin entered the Russian cosmonaut corps in April 2010 after a career as an engineer specializing in life support and extra-ship activity. His professional path included years of technical development for the Mir and International Space Station programs, followed by a decade spent navigating the complex logistical and medical hurdles inherent in flight crew scheduling.

Academic and Engineering Foundation

Born in Bryansk in 1969, Babkin completed his secondary schooling in 1986. He pursued engineering studies at the Bryansk Institute of Transport until 1990 before transitioning to the Moscow Aviation Institute. He earned a systems engineering degree in 1995, focusing on life support and aircraft protection. Later, he returned to the Moscow Aviation Institute for postgraduate work in systems analysis, management, and information processing. He defended his thesis regarding technical and ergonomic requirements for extra-ship activity on the surface of Mars, eventually earning the degree of Candidate of Technical Sciences.

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Work with RSC Energia

In 1997, Babkin joined RSC Energia, where he supported the Mir and International Space Station programs. His contributions included designing tools for spacewalks and overseeing maintenance for Soyuz search and recovery teams. He also contributed to the development of the Orlan spacesuit and served as a safety diver in the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center hydrolaboratory, where he supported mock spacewalk training simulations.

Cosmonaut Training and Assignments

Following his selection as a cosmonaut in 2010, Babkin underwent basic training from October 2010 to July 2012. He completed parachute training, logging over 100 jumps, and flight training in the L-39 Albatros aircraft. Throughout his time with Roscosmos, he was assigned to several ISS expeditions, including Expedition 59/60 and Expedition 61/62. He was removed from these rotations due to crew cutbacks linked to the Nauka module and shifts in scheduling following the aborted Soyuz MS-10 launch.

Medical Setbacks and Career Status

Babkin was assigned to the Soyuz MS-16 crew for Expedition 62/63, scheduled for April 2020. Alongside Nikolai Tikhonov and Christopher Cassidy, he prepared for potential emergency US extra-vehicular activities. However, on 19 February 2020, both he and Tikhonov were removed from the flight due to Tikhonov’s medical issues. Babkin was subsequently reassigned to backup crews but faced further removals for medical reasons. By September 2024, he was removed from the roster of active cosmonauts.