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ELITERetiredROS
ELITERetiredROSRoscosmos·🇷🇺 Russia·Born 1944
Yuri Romanenko
Set the world spaceflight-duration record twice, capped by a 326-day expedition aboard Mir in 1987.
1.2y
Years in Space
3
Missions
4
EVAs
10h
EVA Time
Biography
Set the world spaceflight-duration record twice, capped by a 326-day expedition aboard Mir in 1987. Father of fellow cosmonaut Roman Romanenko.
Before NASASoviet Air Force military pilot who graduated with honors from the Chernigov Higher Air Force School in 1966 and flew MiG-15, MiG-17, and MiG-21 fighters before his cosmonaut selection.
Mission Timeline
- Commander
Soyuz 26 (return on Soyuz 27)
Salyut 6 EO-1
Launch: Dec 10, 1977Landing: Mar 16, 1978Duration: 96 days- First resident crew of Salyut 6; set a 96-day duration record
- Commander
Soyuz 38
Soyuz 38 / Salyut 6 (Intercosmos)
Launch: Sep 18, 1980Landing: Sep 26, 1980Duration: 8 days- Flew with Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez, the first Cuban in space
- Commander
Soyuz TM-2
Mir EO-2
Launch: Feb 5, 1987Landing: Dec 29, 1987Duration: 326 days- World-record 326-day flight aboard the young Mir station
Beyond the Mission
Hobbies & Interests
underwater fishingmodel aircraft buildingmodel ship buildingboxingshooting sportscomposing songs
Languages
Russian
Fun fact
During a 1977 spacewalk from Salyut 6, Romanenko forgot to attach his safety tether and nearly drifted into open space — he was saved only because crewmate Georgy Grechko grabbed him in time; later, Fidel Castro personally took him freediving to 10 meters depth during a visit to Cuba.
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