ISS Expedition 17

Mission Profile

Overview

Expedition 17 sent Russian rookie flight engineer Oleg Kononenko on the first of what would become a record-breaking spaceflight career. He launched aboard Soyuz TMA-12 in April 2008 with commander Sergey Volkov — the pair forming the first second-generation crew, both sons of cosmonauts. Riding up with them was Yi So-yeon, who became the first Korean citizen in space, flying a science programme funded by South Korea's astronaut project. During the six-month increment Kononenko and Volkov performed two Russian spacewalks, including one to inspect and remove an explosive pyrobolt from their Soyuz after a worrying ballistic re-entry of the previous crew. NASA flight engineers Garrett Reisman and later Gregory Chamitoff rounded out the station crew. Kononenko returned in October 2008 with space tourist Richard Garriott, the first second-generation American spaceflyer, aboard.

Crew

Key Milestones

1. 2008-04-08

   Soyuz TMA-12 launches with Volkov, Kononenko and Korea's Yi So-yeon

2. 2008-04-10

   Docking with the ISS; Expedition 17 increment begins

3. 2008-07-15

   Kononenko and Volkov conduct an EVA to remove a Soyuz pyrobolt for re-entry investigation

4. 2008-10-24

   Soyuz TMA-12 lands with Kononenko, Volkov and tourist Richard Garriott

Key Achievements

• Oleg Kononenko's first spaceflight, launching a record-setting career

• Yi So-yeon became the first Korean citizen in space (up-crew)

• First crew composed of two second-generation cosmonauts (Volkov and, via tourist Garriott, the first second-gen American)

Related Missions

Sources

1. Wikipedia — Expedition 17
2. Wikipedia — Soyuz TMA-12
3. Encyclopedia Astronautica — Kononenko