Happy birthday, cosmonaut Maksim Surayev!

Maksim Surayev, born May 24, 1972 in the former USSR, is a veteran of two space missions.

His first flight was aboard Soyuz TMA-16 to the International Space Station, launched in September 2009.  He participated in Expeditions 21 and 22. 

His second and final flight was aboard Soyuz TMA-13M to the International Space Station in May 2014.  He participated in Expeditions 40 and 41.  He returned to Earth in November 2014.

Surayev conducted two EVAs.  The first on January 14, 2010 with fellow cosmonaut Oleg Kotov.  The second with Aleksandr Samokutyaev in October 22, 2014.  The total time he has spent on EVAs is 9 hours, 22 minutes.

Soyuz TMA-13M launched 2014

Soyuz TMA-13M crew (L-R): Alexander Gerst, Reid Wiseman, Maksim Surayev

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-13M, launched May 28, 2014, carried the members of Expedition 40 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Maksim Surayev (Roscosmos), Reid Wiseman (NASA), and Alexander Gerst (ESA).

They returned to Earth November 10, 2014.

Happy birthday, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst!

Alexander Gerst, born May 3, 1976 in West Germany, is an astronaut for the European Space Agency.  He has been in space twice.

His first into space was aboard Soyuz TMA-13M as flight engineer in May 2014 to the International Space Station.  He participated in Expeditions 40 and 41.  He returned to Earth in November 2014.

His second trip was aboard Soyuz MS-09 in June 2018 as flight engineer to the ISS.  He participated in Expeditions 56 and 57.  He returned to Earth in December 2018.

Soyuz TMA-12M launched 2014

Soyuz TMA-12M crew (L-R): Steve Swanson, Aleksandr Skvortsov, Oleg Artemyev

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-12M, launched March 25, 2014, carried part of the crew of Expedition 39 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Aleksandr Skvortsov (Roscosmos), Oleg Artemyev (Roscosmos) and Steve Swanson (NASA).

In May, they transferred to the crew of Expedition 40 upon the departure of Soyuz TMA-11M.  They remained on board until they returned to Earth in September 2014.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev!

Oleg Artemyev, born December 28, 1970 in Riga, Latvia, has been in space twice. 

His first mission was aboard Soyuz TMA-12M, which launched in March 2014 to the International Space Station.  He took part in Expeditions 39 and 40, returning to Earth in September after 169

His most recent trip into space was aboard Soyuz MS-08, from March to October of this year.  He was part of Expeditions 55 and 56.  He spent about 197 days aboard the ISS.

He has spent a year and a day total in space

Happy birthday, astronaut Steven Swanson!

Steven Swanson, born December 3, 1960 in Syracuse, New York, grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  He is a veteran of two space shuttle missions and one Soyuz mission.

His first flight into space was aboard Atlantis (STS-117) to the International Space Station in June 2007 as mission specialist. The mission lasted almost two weeks because of bad weather, making it the longest mission for Atlantis.

Swanson's second flight was aboard Discovery (STS-119) in March 2009 to the ISS as mission specialist.  He performed two EVAs during the mission.

His third and last mission was aboard Soyuz TMA-12M to the ISS as part of Expedition 39 and 40, the latter of which he served as commander.  He spent 169 days in space.



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