Mikhail Korniyenko, born in 1960 in Syzran, Russia, transitioned from a background in radio equipment manufacturing and the Airborne Forces to a career as a test cosmonaut. He played a critical role in long-duration human spaceflight research, participating in missions to the International Space Station that examined the physiological and psychological impacts of extended orbital residence.
Early Career and Technical Training
Before joining the cosmonaut corps, Korniyenko gained significant technical experience. Following his military service in the Airborne Forces from 1978 to 1980, he worked for the Moscow Municipal Militsiya while attending the Moscow Aviation Institute. He graduated in 1987, qualifying as a liquid propellant rocket engines mechanical engineer. Between 1986 and 1991, he served as a launch equipment specialist at the Baikonur Launch Facility, later working as an engineer at the Energia Rocket Space Corporation, where he developed technical documentation for crew training and EVA procedures.
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Korniyenko became a qualified test cosmonaut in 1999 following basic training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. In 2010, he served as a flight engineer for Expedition 23 and 24. Launching on 2 April 2010 aboard Soyuz TMA-18, he spent several months on the station. During this period, on 27 July 2010, he performed a spacewalk with Fyodor Yurchikhin. The mission, lasting six hours and 42 minutes, involved installing cables, outfitting the Rassvet module with a rendezvous system, and replacing a video camera.
One-Year Research Mission
In 2015, Korniyenko and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly began a year-long mission aboard the International Space Station, spanning Expeditions 43 through 46. The objective was to collect data on how human physiology adapts to the environment of space over long durations. This information was sought to support planning for future deep space exploration. The pair launched aboard Soyuz TMA-16M in March 2015 and returned to Earth on 1 March 2016.
Fast facts
- Born: 1960, Syzran, Russia
- Education: Moscow Aviation Institute
- First Spaceflight: Expedition 23/24
- Long-Duration Mission: March 2015 to March 2016
- Awards: Hero of the Russian Federation
- Awards: Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation (2011)
- Awards: Order For Merit to the Fatherland, 4th class
Questions readers ask
What was the purpose of the one-year mission on the ISS?
It aimed to study the physiological and psychological effects of extended spaceflight on the human body to prepare for future long-duration missions.
Did Korniyenko have prior experience before becoming a cosmonaut?
Yes, he worked as a radio equipment plant employee, served in the Soviet Airborne Forces, and worked as a mechanical engineer at the Baikonur Launch Facility.
Achievements
- Educated at Moscow Aviation Institute
- Worked as astronaut and engineer
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