Happy birthday, German astronaut Ulf Merbold!

Dr. Ulf Merbold, born June 20, 1941 in Germany, is a retired European Space Agency astronaut and went into space three times. 

His first mission was aboard Columbia (STS-9) as payload specialist in November-December 1983.  He is the first non-US citizen to reach orbit in a US spacecraft.

His second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-42) as payload specialist in January 1992.  The main goal of the mission was to study microgravity on different organisms.

His third and final mission was aboard Soyuz TM-20 as research cosmonaut to the space station Mir in October 1994.  He participated in a month-long expedition Euromir 94.  He returned to Earth in November 1994 on Soyuz TM-19.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov!

Valeri Polyakov, born April 27, 1942 in the former Soviet Union, holds the record for the longest single stay in space for a human.  He stayed aboard Mir for 427 days, 18 hours.  His total time in space is 678 days, 16 hours.

His first mission was aboard Soyuz TM-6 to Mir in August 1988.  He participated in expeditions Mir EO-3 and Mir EO-4, returning to Earth on Soyuz TM-7 in April 1989.

His second and final flight was his record setting stay.  He went into space aboard Soyuz TM-18 in January 1994.  He participated in expeditions Mir EO-15, Mir EO-16 and Mir EO-17.  He returned to Earth on Soyuz TM-20 in March 1995, after more than 14 months.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Yelena Kondakova!

Yelena Kondakova, born March 30, 1957, is the third Russian woman in space.  Her first trip into space was aboard Soyuz TM-20 as flight engineer to the Mir space station in October 1994.  After five months, she returned to Earth in March 1995.

Her second trip into space was aboard Atlantis (STS-84) as mission specialist to Mir in May 1997.

She is married to fellow cosmonaut Valery Ryumin. 

Soyuz TM-20 launched 1994

Soyuz TM-20 crew (L-R): Aleksandr Viktorenko, Yelena Kondakova, Ulf Merbold

Mission patch

Soyuz TM-20, launched October 4, 1994, was the 20th mission to the Mir space station.  Its crew consisted of Commander Aleksandr Viktorenko, Yelena Kondakova, and Ulf Merbold (ESA).

Merbold returned to Earth on Soyuz TM-19, while Viktorenko and Kondakova remained on the space station as part of Mir EO-17.  Valeri Polyakov, who had been on board since Mir EO-15 returned to Earth with them in March 1995.

Happy birthday, cosmonaut Aleksandr Viktorenko!

Aleksandr Viktorenko, born March 29, 1947 in the former Soviet Union, is a veteran of four Soyuz missions.

His first mission was as Commander of Soyuz TM-3, which launched July 1987 to the space station Mir. The flight was notable since fellow cosmonaut Muhammed Faris, was the first Syrian in space.  They made up the crew of Mir EP-1, but they were not a long-term duration crew.  They returned aboard Soyuz TM-2 about a week later.

His second mission was also as Commander aboard Soyuz TM-8 to Mir.  He and fellow cosmonaut Aleksandr Serebrov were the 5th long term crew, Mir EO-5.  They launched September 5, 1989 and returned February 19, 1990, after 166 days in space.

His third flight as commander was aboard Soyuz TM-14 to Mir, which launched March 17, 1992.  It was the first Russian mission after the collapse of the Soviet Union.  With Aleksandr Kaleri, they made up Mir EO-11 and retunred to Earth August 10, after 149 days in space.

Viktorenko's fourth and final mission was Commander on Soyuz TM-20 to Mir in October 1994, where he and Yelena Kondakova were crew Mir EO-17.  They returned to Earth in March 1995 after 169 days in space.

In total, Viktorenko has spent a total of 489 days in space.  He retired May 30, 1997.

Soyuz TM-18 launched 1994

Soyuz TM-18 crew

 Mission patch

Soyuz TM-18, launched January 8, 1994, was the 18th mission to the Mir spacecraft.  Her crew consisted of Commander Viktor Afanasyev, Flight Engineer Yury Usachov and Research Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov. 

Afanasyev and Usachev spent 179 days on Mir and returned to Earth July 9, 1994.  Dr. Polyakov stayed for more than 420 days and returned in March 1995 on Soyuz TM-20.