Yi So-yeon, born June 2, 1978 in Gwangju, South Korea, is the first Korean to go into space. She was selected as a finalist in the Korean Astronaut Program. She went into space aboard Soyuz TMA-12 to the International Space Station as a participant, launched April 8, 2008. She returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-11 after 10 days in space.
Soyuz TMA-12 crew (L-R): Yi So-Yeon, Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko
Soyuz TMA-12, launched April 8, 2008, carried two crew members and a Korean woman, as a Spaceflight Participant to the International Space Station. The crew consisted of Commander Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko, and Yi So-Yeon (Korean Astronaut Program).
Volkov and Kononenko participated in Expedition 17 and they returned to Earth in October 2008. Richard Garriott, who had arrived on Soyuz TMA-13 eleven days earlier, returned with them.
Yi So-Yeon remained on the ISS for almost eleven days and returned on Soyuz TMA-11.
Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, born July 27, 1972 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has spent 10 days aboard the International Space Station. He was selected as a cosmonaut for the Malaysian Angkasawan (ANGKASA) spaceflight program in 2006. He is the first Malaysian in space.
He took off in Soyuz TMA-11 in October 2007 to the ISS with members of Expedition 16, Yuri Malenchenko and Peggy Whitson. He returned to Earth about 10 days later aboard Soyuz TMA-10.
Soyuz TMA-11, launched October 10, 2007, carried two members of Expedition 16 and the first Malaysian astronaut to the International Space Station. Its crew consisted of Yuri Malenchenko (Roscosmos), Peggy Whitson (NASA) and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who flew as part of an agreement between the Russian and Malaysian governments.
Shukor stayed on the ISS for about 10 days and returned to Earth on Soyuz TMA-10. Malenchenko and Whitson stayed on board for almost 192 days and returned in April 2008. The first Korean astronaut, Yi So-yeon, joined them on the return trip. She had arrived about 10 days earlier on Soyuz TMA-12.
During re-entry, Soyuz TMA-11 made a ballistic maneuver, which meant its descent was steeper than normal, due to a malfunction. They landed safe and sound about 475 km from their target.
Peggy Whitson, born February 9, 1960 in Mount Ayr, Iowa, holds the U.S. record for spending the most time in space, 665 days.
Her first mission was on Endeavour (STS-111) in June 2002 as mission specialist to the International Space Station. She stayed on board as Expedition 5 until December 2002 when she returned on Endeavour (STS-113).
Her next trip into space was aboard Soyuz TMA-11 as flight engineer in October 2007. She served as commander of Expedition 16, returning in April 2008.
Her next trip to the ISS was on Soyuz MS-03 in November 2016 as part of Expeditions 50-52. She returned to Earth September 3, 2017 on Soyuz MS-04.
Only seven Russian men have stayed in space longer than Peggy.
Yuri Ivanovich Malenchenko, born December 22, 1951 in the Ukraine, has spent more time in space than anybody, except for fellow cosmonaut Gennady Padalka. He is a veteran of 5 Soyuz missions and one Space Shuttle flight. He has been aboard Mir and the International Space Station. As of June 2016, he has spent a little over 827 days in space.
His first flight was as commander aboard Soyuz TM-19 to Mir in July 1994, where he spent 4 months.
His next mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-106) in September 2000 as mission specialist.
His third flight was on Soyuz TMA-2 in April 2003 to the ISS. While on board, he got married got married to Ekaterina Dmitrieva August 10, 2003. She was in Texas and he was 240 miles over New Zealand. He is the first person to get married while in space.
Malenchenko's fourth flight was on Soyuz TMA-11 as commander in October 2007 to the International Space Station. His fellow astronauts were Peggy Whitson, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (first Malaysian astronaut) and Yi So-yeon (the first Korean astronaut).
On the 37th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Program, he blasted off on Soyuz TMA-05M July 2012.
His final flight was on Soyuz TMA-19M in December 2015.
