13 Facts About Yelena Serova

Yelena Olegovna Serova is a Russian politician and former cosmonaut.

Yelena Serova served as a Deputy in the State Duma of Russian Federation between 2016 and 2021.

Yelena Serova flew one long duration mission to the International Space Station from 2014 to 2015 before retiring from the cosmonaut corps in 2016.

Yelena Serova was born Yelena Olegovna Kuznetsova in Vozdvizhenka, a village which is part of the city of Ussuriysk in the far east in Russia.

Yelena Serova met her future husband Mark at the Moscow Aviation Institute.

In March 2001, Yelena Serova graduated from the Aerospace Faculty of the Moscow Aviation Institute qualified as an engineer.

Yelena Serova was selected as a test cosmonaut at the age of 30 in the RKKE-14 group in October 2006 while working as a flight engineer.

Yelena Serova completed basic training at Star City in 2009.

In late 2011, Russian Space Agency Chief Vladimir Popovkin announced that Yelena Serova would fly to the International Space Station, expected to spend up to six months in space performing biophysics and medical experiments.

Yelena Serova is the fourth female cosmonaut to travel to space.

In July 2017 Yelena Serova was a vice chairperson at a meeting to discuss a bill on the protection of animals.

Yelena Serova is married to cosmonaut Mark Serov, selected in RKKE-13 in 2003, but retired before flying any missions.

Yelena Serova was one of five cosmonauts selected to raise the Russian flag at the 2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Sochi.