Talgat Musabayev


Talgat Amangeldyuly Musabayev is a Kazakh test pilot and former cosmonaut who flew on three spaceflights. His first two spaceflights were long-duration stays aboard the Russian space station Mir. His third spaceflight was a short duration visiting mission to the International Space Station, which also carried the first paying space tourist Dennis Tito. He retired as a cosmonaut in November 2003. Since 2007 he has been head of Kazakhstan's National Space Agency, KazCosmos.

Early career

Musabayev graduated from Engineering Institute of Civil Aviation in Riga in 1974. Then in 1983 he graduated from Higher Military Aviation School in Akhtubinsk, with an engineering diploma. Musabayev received several awards as an aerobatic flyer and was selected as a cosmonaut on 11 May 1990. In 1991, he was appointed to Major and transferred to the cosmonaut group of Air Force.

Cosmonaut career

Musabayev was selected to be a cosmonaut on 11 May 1990.

Mir EO-16

His first spaceflight was as a crew member of the long-duration mission Mir EO-16, which was launched and landed by the spacecraft Soyuz TM-19. Musabayev was designated Flight Engineer; the mission lasted from 1 July 1994 to 4 November 1994, for a total duration of 125 days 22 hours 53 minutes.

Mir EO-25

His second spaceflight was as Commander of another long-duration expedition called Mir EO-25, which was launched by the spacecraft Soyuz TM-27. The mission lasted from 29 January 1998 to 25 August 25, 1998.

ISS EP-1

His third mission was as Commander of ISS EP-1, which was a visiting mission to the International Space Station. It was launched by Soyuz TM-32, and was landed by Soyuz TM-31 on 6 May 2001, for a total duration of 7 days 22 hours 4 minutes. This visiting mission was notable for carrying the first ever paying space tourist Dennis Tito.
, he was among the top 30 cosmonauts by time in space.

Later life

He retired from being a cosmonaut in November 2003. He became deputy head of the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy and was appointed to Major General in September 2003. From 2005 to 2007 he was General Director of "Bayterek" Corp. which was a Kazakhstani-Russian Joint Venture.
11 April 2007, Musabayev was appointed Head of the National Space Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, also known as KazCosmos.

Personal life

He is married and has two children.

Honours and awards