Born: 1976 (Vozdvizhenka, Ussuriysk, Russia)
Biography:
Yelena Olegovna Serova (Russian: Йелена Олеговна Серова, born 22 April 1976) is a Russian politician and former cosmonaut. She served as a Deputy in the State Duma of the Russian Federation between 2016 and 2021. Before her political career, she was a Roscosmos cosmonaut, selected in 2006. She flew one long-duration mission to the International Space Station from 2014 to 2015 before retiring from the cosmonaut corps in 2016.
Yelena Serova was born in Vozdvizhenka, a village that is part of the city of Ussuriysk in the far east of Russia. She spent her early years there until 1988 when her family relocated to Germany due to her father’s military transfer. After their time in Germany, Serova and her family moved to Moscow. It was in Moscow where she met her future husband, Mark, at the Moscow Aviation Institute.
In March 2001, Serova graduated from the Aerospace Faculty of the Moscow Aviation Institute, qualifying as an engineer. In 2003, she furthered her education and graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Instrument Engineering and Information, obtaining qualifications as an economist. Prior to becoming a cosmonaut, Serova worked as an engineer of the 2nd category for the RSC Energia and in the Mission Control Center.
At the age of 30, in October 2006, Yelena Serova was selected as a test cosmonaut in the RKKE-14 group while working as a flight engineer. She underwent basic training at Star City and successfully completed it in 2009. Her dedication and passion for space exploration led her to be chosen for the prestigious mission to the International Space Station.
In late 2011, it was announced by Russian Space Agency Chief Vladimir Popovkin that Serova would fly to the International Space Station. She was expected to spend up to six months in space, performing biophysics and medical experiments. On 25 September 2014, Serova embarked on her mission, traveling aboard Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft to serve as a flight engineer for Expedition 41/42.
During the mission, Yelena Serova became the fourth female cosmonaut to travel to space. The three previous female cosmonauts were Valentina Tereshkova in 1963, Svetlana Savitskaya in 1982 and 1984, and Yelena Kondakova in 1994 and 1997. These remarkable women represented both the former Soviet Union and Russia, leaving a lasting impact on space exploration.
Despite encountering some challenges during the mission, such as the failure of one of the two power-generating solar arrays, Serova and her crew successfully reached the International Space Station. They docked with the Space Station four orbits and six hours later on 26 September. Serova, along with her crewmates, conducted numerous experiments and contributed to scientific research during their time in space.
Yelena Serova’s journey as a cosmonaut was a significant milestone in women’s history. Her selection and successful mission highlighted the competence and capability of women in space exploration. She broke barriers and inspired future generations of aspiring female astronauts.
After her space mission, Serova transitioned into a political career. She served as a Deputy in the State Duma of the Russian Federation from 2016 to 2021, contributing her expertise and experience to political decision-making.
Yelena Serova’s exceptional achievements as a cosmonaut and her subsequent contributions to the political landscape have solidified her place as a prominent figure in Russian society. Her commitment to exploration, dedication to scientific research, and trailblazing role in women’s history make her a respected and influential individual.
Awards:
– Order For Merit to the Fatherland IV class (12 April 2012)
– Medal For Merit in Space Exploration (12 April 2012)
– Order of Friendship (21 December 2015)