Sergey Ryazansky

The Soyuz TMA-10M mission launched on September 25, 2013, carrying Sergey Ryazansky to the International Space Station for his inaugural spaceflight. A trained biochemist, he transitioned from biological research at the Institute of Biomedical Problems to a professional career in space exploration, eventually serving as a commander for the Soyuz MS-05 mission in 2017.

Academic and Research Background

Born in 1974 in Moscow, Ryazansky pursued studies at the MSU Faculty of Biology, graduating as a biochemist in 1996. His early scientific career focused on his role as a researcher at the Institute of Biomedical Problems. His technical expertise in biology and biochemistry provided the foundation for his selection as a research and test cosmonaut in 2003, after which he completed his training in 2005. He further participated in the 105-day Mars 500 program in 2009, simulating mission conditions.

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Expeditions to the International Space Station

Ryazansky first reached the orbiting laboratory aboard the Soyuz TMA-10M spacecraft. During this tenure, he served as a Flight Engineer for Expedition 37 and Expedition 38, returning to Earth on March 11, 2014. He returned to space on July 28, 2017, commanding the Soyuz MS-05 mission. As a Flight Engineer for Expedition 52 and Expedition 53, he spent 138 days, 16 hours, 56 minutes, and 37 seconds in orbit, concluding his mission with a landing on December 14, 2017.

Extravehicular Activities

Over the course of his two missions, Ryazansky conducted four spacewalks. In November 2013, he and Oleg Kotov carried the 2014 Winter Olympic Games torch outside the station. His subsequent activities included installing high and medium resolution cameras for Earth observation, removing the Vsplesk experiment package, and deploying the Seismoprognoz earthquake-monitoring system. During a 2017 spacewalk with Fyodor Yurchikhin, he tested an updated Orlan space suit while deploying five nano-satellites.

Professional Recognition

The Russian Federation formally recognized his contributions to space exploration through several state honors. Ryazansky received the title of Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation in 2015 and the title of Hero of the Russian Federation. Additionally, he was awarded the Order 'For Merit to the Fatherland', 4th class. He remains a prominent figure in the Russian space program with a background rooted in biological sciences.