Oleg Kononenko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Oleg Kononenko
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Kononenko in 2022
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| Born |
Oleg Dmitriyevich Kononenko
21 June 1964 Chardzhou, Turkmen SSR, Soviet Union
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| Status | Active |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Awards |
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| Space career | |
| Roscosmos cosmonaut | |
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Time in space
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1,110 days, 14 hours, 57 minutes |
| Selection | MKS Cosmonaut Group (1996) |
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Total EVAs
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7 |
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Total EVA time
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44 hours, 30 minutes |
| Missions |
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Mission insignia
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| Top - 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Oleg Dmitriyevich Kononenko (born June 21, 1964) is a famous Russian cosmonaut. He holds the record for the most time spent in space! He has flown to the International Space Station (ISS) five times. On these missions, he worked as a flight engineer and even commanded the station.
On February 4, 2024, Oleg Kononenko broke the world record. He spent more time in space than anyone else. He has now spent over 1,111 days orbiting Earth. That's more than three years of his life in space!
Early Life and Education
Where Oleg Kononenko Grew Up
Oleg Kononenko was born on June 21, 1964. His hometown was Chardzhou, in what is now Türkmenabat, Turkmenistan. His dad was a driver, and his mom worked with communications at the airport. Oleg was a great student, even learning the Turkmen language very well.
Oleg Kononenko's Schooling and Training
After high school, Oleg wanted to study aviation. He didn't get into the Kharkov Aviation Institute on his first try. So, he worked for a year at the airport. He tried again and got in! In 1988, he graduated as a mechanical engineer.
After college, Oleg worked at a big Russian space company called TsSKB-Progress. He started as an engineer and moved up to a lead design engineer. His job was to help design and develop electrical power systems for spacecraft.
Becoming a Cosmonaut
On March 29, 1996, Oleg was chosen to become a cosmonaut. From June 1996 to March 1998, he trained very hard at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. In 1998, he officially became a test cosmonaut. Soon after, he began training for missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
Oleg trained for many years. He prepared to be a backup flight engineer for different Soyuz missions. He also trained as a flight engineer for the main crews of Expedition 9 and Expedition 11. By March 2006, he started training for his first space mission, Expedition 17.
Space Missions and Expeditions
First Mission: Expedition 17
Oleg Kononenko's first trip to space was with Expedition 17. He launched on April 8, 2008, aboard the Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft. He worked as a flight engineer on the International Space Station. He spent 199 days in space on this mission.
Spacewalks During Expedition 17
Oleg did his first spacewalk on July 10, 2008. He and cosmonaut Sergey Volkov went outside the ISS. They checked their Soyuz spacecraft and retrieved a small part. This spacewalk lasted over six hours.
Just five days later, on July 15, 2008, Oleg did another spacewalk. He and Volkov installed new experiments and worked on the station's exterior. They wore special Russian Orlan space suits. This spacewalk lasted almost six hours.
Oleg returned to Earth on October 24, 2008. He landed safely in Kazakhstan.
Second Mission: Expedition 30/31
On December 21, 2011, Oleg launched to the ISS again. He joined the crew of Expedition 30. On February 12, 2012, Oleg and fellow cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov did a spacewalk. They installed shields on the Zvezda Service Module to protect it. They also moved a crane and installed other equipment. The crew returned to Earth on July 1, 2012.
Third Mission: Expedition 44/45
On July 22, 2015, Oleg launched for his third mission. He was the commander of the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft. He flew with NASA astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui. They spent five months on the ISS as part of Expedition 44 and Expedition 45. They returned to Earth on December 11, 2015. Oleg spent 142 days in space on this mission.
Fourth Mission: Expedition 57/58/59
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Oleg launched for his fourth mission on December 3, 2018, aboard Soyuz MS-11. He was a flight engineer for Expedition 57. He then commanded both Expedition 58 and Expedition 59. Oleg and his crewmates returned to Earth on June 24, 2019. This mission lasted over 203 days.
During this mission, on December 31, 2018, Oleg showed the flag of Turkmenistan from the ISS. He wished everyone in Turkmenistan a Happy New Year. He said he felt special about the country where he was born.
Fifth Mission: Expedition 69/70/71
In September 2023, Oleg launched for his fifth mission aboard Soyuz MS-24. This was a year-long mission with his Russian crewmate Nikolai Chub. On February 4, 2024, Oleg broke the world record for most time in space. The previous record was 878 days. He later became the first person to spend 900, 1,000, and 1,100 days in space. He returned to Earth on Soyuz MS-25.
Personal Life
Oleg Kononenko was a talented volleyball player in school. He was even part of Turkmenistan's youth team.
He is married to Tatyana Mikhailovna Kononenko. They have a son, Andrey, and a daughter, Alisa. Oleg enjoys reading and playing team sports. In 2015, he was elected to a public office in Korolyov, Russia.
Honors and Awards
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Oleg Kononenko has received many important awards for his work as a cosmonaut. Some of these include:
- Hero of the Russian Federation (2009) - This is a very high honor for bravery during space flight.
- Hero of Turkmenistan (2019)
- Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation (2009)
- NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal (USA, 2008)
- NASA Space Flight Medal (USA, 2008)
See also
In Spanish: Oleg Kononenko para niños
