Russian female cosmonaut Elena Serova has been in orbit for three months already. She is expected to spend a total of 169 days in orbit and perform nearly 59 experiments over 715 sessions. Serova is the fourth Russian woman to travel to space. In 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to ride a rocket into the sky, with Valentina Savitskaya following her, making two spaceflights in 1982 and 1984. Elena Kondakova also made two space trips, in 1994 and 1997.
© Photo : RoscosmosElena Serova arrived at the International Space Station on September 26, becoming the first Russian female to travel to space in the past 17 years.
Above: ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova, Maxim Shur, Alexander Samokutyaev, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry Wilmore (L to R) on board the ISS.
Above: ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova, Maxim Shur, Alexander Samokutyaev, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry Wilmore (L to R) on board the ISS.
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© Photo : Roscosmos
Elena Serova arrived at the International Space Station on September 26, becoming the first Russian female to travel to space in the past 17 years.
Above: ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova, Maxim Shur, Alexander Samokutyaev, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry Wilmore (L to R) on board the ISS.
Above: ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst, Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova, Maxim Shur, Alexander Samokutyaev, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry Wilmore (L to R) on board the ISS.
© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archiveElena Serova was born in Vozdvizhenka, a little town near Ussuriysk in the Far East in Russia. "Since my very childhood I couldn’t imagine myself without being in the skies. My father is a military man; he served as an Air Force officer. I spent all my time at the airfields," Elena said.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova in childhood.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova in childhood.
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© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archive
Elena Serova was born in Vozdvizhenka, a little town near Ussuriysk in the Far East in Russia. "Since my very childhood I couldn’t imagine myself without being in the skies. My father is a military man; he served as an Air Force officer. I spent all my time at the airfields," Elena said.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova in childhood.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova in childhood.
© Photo : RoscosmosBefore becoming as an cosmonaut, Serova worked as an engineer of the 2nd category for RSC Energia, and also at Mission Control Center.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on a simulator of the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on a simulator of the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
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© Photo : Roscosmos
Before becoming as an cosmonaut, Serova worked as an engineer of the 2nd category for RSC Energia, and also at Mission Control Center.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on a simulator of the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on a simulator of the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archiveIn 1993, Elena Serova graduated from 99 public school for children of military families in the city of Grossenhain, Germany. In March 2001, she graduated from the Aerospace Faculty of the Moscow Aviation Institute and qualified as an engineer.
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© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archive
In 1993, Elena Serova graduated from 99 public school for children of military families in the city of Grossenhain, Germany. In March 2001, she graduated from the Aerospace Faculty of the Moscow Aviation Institute and qualified as an engineer.
© Photo : RoscosmosIn October 2006, Serova was selected for testing as a cosmonaut at the age of 30 while working as a flight engineer. She completed basic training at Star City in 2009.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova (center) during the preparation for the flight to the ISS.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova (center) during the preparation for the flight to the ISS.
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© Photo : Roscosmos
In October 2006, Serova was selected for testing as a cosmonaut at the age of 30 while working as a flight engineer. She completed basic training at Star City in 2009.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova (center) during the preparation for the flight to the ISS.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova (center) during the preparation for the flight to the ISS.
© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archiveOn January 23 2002, Elena Serova gave birth to a daughter, also named Elena. Before the blast-off to the ISS, Serova promised she would regularly call from space to her husband and daughter. However, even if there was no way for her to contact her family, Serova would still travel to space for six months, because she "loves endlessly her husband and daughter, and trust them". Elena’s daughter has also said she wants to be a cosmonaut, but she is 11, and her interests are changing.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena and her husband Mark Serov during the wedding ceremony.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena and her husband Mark Serov during the wedding ceremony.
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© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archive
On January 23 2002, Elena Serova gave birth to a daughter, also named Elena. Before the blast-off to the ISS, Serova promised she would regularly call from space to her husband and daughter. However, even if there was no way for her to contact her family, Serova would still travel to space for six months, because she "loves endlessly her husband and daughter, and trust them". Elena’s daughter has also said she wants to be a cosmonaut, but she is 11, and her interests are changing.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena and her husband Mark Serov during the wedding ceremony.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena and her husband Mark Serov during the wedding ceremony.
© Photo : Roscosmos"Flying in zero-gravity is an amazing, unbelievable experience," Elena says. "When I was a child I flew in my dreams, and now the dreams come true. It seems I knew what it was going to be like, when I arrived at the station. Now I enjoy this experience every minute."
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova and astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova and astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
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© Photo : Roscosmos
"Flying in zero-gravity is an amazing, unbelievable experience," Elena says. "When I was a child I flew in my dreams, and now the dreams come true. It seems I knew what it was going to be like, when I arrived at the station. Now I enjoy this experience every minute."
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova and astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova and astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
© Photo : NASAEvery weekend, Elena has a video-chat with her relatives and family. They have a great chance to see each other and talk. The ISS is equipped with a telephone, so Elena can call home and speak to her daughter and husband.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova before the flight to the ISS.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova before the flight to the ISS.
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© Photo : NASA
Every weekend, Elena has a video-chat with her relatives and family. They have a great chance to see each other and talk. The ISS is equipped with a telephone, so Elena can call home and speak to her daughter and husband.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova before the flight to the ISS.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova before the flight to the ISS.
© Photo : RoscosmosIn an interview, Serova told how she applied to be a cosmonaut: "It came pretty naturally. I met my future husband at the institute. We worked together for RSC Energia. He joined the team of cosmonauts in 2003, and then I joined the team in 2006."
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on board the ISS.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on board the ISS.
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© Photo : Roscosmos
In an interview, Serova told how she applied to be a cosmonaut: "It came pretty naturally. I met my future husband at the institute. We worked together for RSC Energia. He joined the team of cosmonauts in 2003, and then I joined the team in 2006."
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on board the ISS.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova on board the ISS.
© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archiveSerova was one of the five cosmonauts selected to raise the Russian flag at the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Sochi.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova.
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© Photo : The Serovs' family photo archive
Serova was one of the five cosmonauts selected to raise the Russian flag at the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Sochi.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova.
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serova.
© Photo : NASABefore the flight, Elena Serova told journalists that she is proud of her mission. "I will be the first Russian woman to travel to the ISS. It is a great responsibility for those who trained us. I would like to say: we will not let you down!"
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serov and memebers of expedition to the ISS at the cosmodrome "Baikonur".
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serov and memebers of expedition to the ISS at the cosmodrome "Baikonur".
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© Photo : NASA
Before the flight, Elena Serova told journalists that she is proud of her mission. "I will be the first Russian woman to travel to the ISS. It is a great responsibility for those who trained us. I would like to say: we will not let you down!"
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serov and memebers of expedition to the ISS at the cosmodrome "Baikonur".
Above: Roscosmos cosmonaut Elena Serov and memebers of expedition to the ISS at the cosmodrome "Baikonur".