- In full:
- Sergey Aleksandrovich Volkov
- Born:
- April 1, 1973, Chuguyev, Kharkov oblast, Ukraine, U.S.S.R. [now in Ukraine] (age 53)
- Notable Family Members:
- father Alexander Volkov
Sergey Volkov
-
Who is Sergey Volkov?
Sergey Volkov (born April 1, 1973) is a Russian military pilot and cosmonaut. He holds the distinction of being the first second-generation cosmonaut, following his father, Aleksandr Volkov, into space.
Volkov's career highlights include graduating from the Tambov Marina Raskova Air Force Academy for Pilots in 1995 and later qualifying as a test cosmonaut in 1999. His spaceflights include Expedition 17 to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2008, where he became the youngest ISS commander to date, and subsequent missions in 2011 and 2015. Across three spaceflights, Volkov spent nearly 548 days in space, conducting experiments, performing maintenance, and completing space walks. He retired from the cosmonaut corps in February 2017.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What does it mean to be a cosmonaut?
A cosmonaut is an astronaut of the Russian space program.
Russian military pilot and cosmonaut Sergey Volkov was the first second-generation cosmonaut, following his father, Aleksandr Volkov, into space. In 2008, Sergey Volkov flew into space aboard Soyuz TMA-12 as part of Expedition 17 to the International Space Station (ISS). As the ISS commander for Expedition 17, Volkov was the youngest ISS commander to date. Across three spaceflights, Volkov spent nearly 548 days in space.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What kinds of missions has Sergey Volkov flown in space?
Sergey Volkov, a Russian military pilot and cosmonaut, has undertaken multiple missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
Expedition 17 (2008): Flew aboard Soyuz TMA-12 with Oleg Kononenko and Yi So-Yeon, spending 198 days in space. He performed scientific and technical experiments, maintenance, service, and repair projects. Volkov also conducted two spacewalks to inspect the Soyuz TMA-12, remove and install scientific experiments, and install a docking target.
Soyuz TMA-02M (2011): Launched with Michael Fossum and Furukawa Satoshi. Volkov and Aleksandr Samokutyayev performed a spacewalk, moving a small crane onto the station’s exterior.
Soyuz TMA-18M (2015): Launched to the ISS with Aydyn Aimbetov and Andreas Mogensen. With Yuri Malenchenko, he replaced experiments attached to the Russian modules. Across his three spaceflights, Volkov spent nearly 548 days in space.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Sergey Volkov become a cosmonaut?
Sergey Volkov's path to becoming a cosmonaut involved several key steps. After graduating from the Tambov Marina Raskova Air Force Academy for Pilots in 1995 with a piloting and engineering degree, he joined the Russian air force, serving as an assistant aircraft commander. In 1997, Volkov was selected as a cosmonaut candidate and completed basic training in 1999, qualifying as a test cosmonaut. He then trained with the Russian Federal Space Agency as a Soyuz TMA commander and International Space Station (ISS) flight engineer. On April 8, 2008, he flew into space aboard Soyuz TMA-12, marking his first spaceflight and making him the first second-generation cosmonaut in history.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What is significant about Sergey Volkov's family background in space travel?
Sergey Volkov's distinction as the first second-generation cosmonaut is significant because his father, Aleksandr Volkov, was also a cosmonaut. Aleksandr flew three missions into space, spending 391 days there, and directed the Russian cosmonaut training program. Sergey's spaceflight aboard Soyuz TMA-12 in April 2008 marked the first instance of a father and son both traveling to space.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some achievements or records held by Sergey Volkov during his time as a cosmonaut?
Sergey Volkov, a Russian military pilot and cosmonaut, holds several distinctions. He is the first second-generation cosmonaut, following his father, Aleksandr Volkov, into space. During Expedition 17 to the International Space Station (ISS), Volkov became the youngest ISS commander to date. Across three spaceflights, he spent nearly 548 days in space. He performed scientific and technical experiments, maintained the ISS and Soyuz TMA-12, and conducted spacewalks to inspect spacecraft and install equipment.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Sergey Volkov (born April 1, 1973, Chuguyev, Kharkov oblast, Ukraine, U.S.S.R. [now in Ukraine]) is a Russian military pilot and cosmonaut—the first second-generation cosmonaut, following his father, Aleksandr Volkov, into space.
Volkov graduated from the Tambov Marina Raskova Air Force Academy for Pilots in Tambov, Russia, with a piloting and engineering degree in 1995. After completing his studies, Volkov entered the Russian air force and served as an assistant aircraft commander in military transport aviation.
In 1997 Volkov was selected as a cosmonaut candidate, and he received basic cosmonaut training until he qualified as a test cosmonaut in 1999. Beginning in January 2000 Volkov trained with the Russian Federal Space Agency as a Soyuz TMA commander and International Space Station (ISS) flight engineer, and he served as a member of the backup crew for several ISS missions. Volkov flew into space aboard Soyuz TMA-12 on April 8, 2008, with Russian flight engineer Oleg Kononenko and South Korean spaceflight participant Yi So-Yeon as part of Expedition 17 to the ISS. With that flight he became the first second-generation cosmonaut in history. His father had spent 391 days in space on three missions (in 1985, 1988, and 1991) and directed the Russian cosmonaut training program. Though sons had followed their fathers into the cosmonaut corps before, the Volkovs were the first father-and-son cosmonaut duo to fly into space.
Volkov spent 198 days in space, performing scientific and technical experiments and carrying out maintenance, service, and repair projects on the ISS and on Soyuz TMA-12. He also conducted two space walks, during which he and Kononenko inspected the Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft, removed and installed scientific experiments, and installed a docking target for a Russian module scheduled for launch in 2009. As the ISS commander for Expedition 17, Volkov earned the distinction of being the youngest ISS commander to date. He returned to Earth aboard Soyuz TMA-12 on October 24, 2008. After his flight Volkov continued to serve in the Russian air force (with the rank of lieutenant colonel) and remained an active cosmonaut.
Volkov returned to the ISS in Soyuz TMA-02M, which launched on June 7, 2011, with American astronaut Michael Fossum and Japanese astronaut Furukawa Satoshi. He and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Samokutyayev performed a space walk in which they moved a small crane onto the station’s exterior. He returned to Earth on November 22, 2011.
For his final spaceflight, Volkov launched to the ISS on September 2, 2015, on Soyuz TMA-18M with Kazakh cosmonaut Aydyn Aimbetov and Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen. He and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko did a space walk in which they replaced experiments that were attached to the Russian modules of the station. He returned to Earth on March 2, 2016, with American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Korniyenko, both of whom had spent 340 days in space to study the health effects of long-term spaceflight.
Volkov retired from the cosmonaut corps in February 2017. On his three spaceflights, he spent a total of nearly 548 days in space.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
