Endeavour (STS-89) launched 1998

STS-89 crew:

Front row (L-R): Joe Edwards, Terrence Wilcutt, Bonnie Dunbar

Back row (L-R): David Wolf, Salizhan Sharipov, James Reilly, Andy Thomas, Michael Anderson

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-89) was launched January 22, 1998 to the space station Mir.  Its crew consisted of Commander Terrence Wilcutt, Pilot Joe Edwards, James Reilly, Michael Anderson, Bonnie Dunbar, Salizhan Sharipov (Roscosmos) and Andy Thomas. 

Endeavour carried Andy Thomas to Mir and brought David Wolf back.  Both were part of expedition Mir EO-24.  The crew returned to Earth January 31.

Soyuz TMA-5 launched 2004

Soyuz TMA-5 crew (L-R): Leroy Chiao, Yuri Shargin, Salizhan Sharipov

Mission patch

Soyuz TMA-5, launched October 14, 2004, carried members of Expedition 10 to the International Space Station.  Its crew consisted of  Commander Salizhan Sharipov (Roscosmos), Leroy Chiao (NASA), and Yuri Shargin (Roscosmos).

Shargin stayed eight days and returned on Soyuz TMA-4.  Sharipov and Chiao remained on the ISS until they returned in April 2005 with Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori (ESA). 

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov!

Salizhan Sharipov, born August 24, 1964 in the former Soviet Union, is the first cosmonaut from the Kyrgyz Republic.  He graduated from the Soviet Air Force Pilot School in 1987.

His first mission in space was aboard Endeavour (STS-89) as mission specialist in January 1998. It was a shuttle mission to the space station Mir.

He was commander of Soyuz TMA-5, launched to the International Space Station in October 2004 as part of Expedition 10.  He performed two EVAs for a total of 10 hours 34 minutes.  He returned to Earth in April 2005.