Yelena Kondakova

Yelena Kondakova, born on March 30, 1957, is a distinguished engineer, astronaut, and politician, renowned for her remarkable contributions to space exploration. She holds the honor of being the third Soviet or Russian female cosmonaut to venture into space and the first woman to undertake a long-duration spaceflight.

Kondakova's inaugural journey into space commenced on October 4, 1994, aboard the Soyuz TM-20. This historic mission saw her spend five months aboard the Mir space station, culminating in her return to Earth on March 22, 1995. Her pioneering spirit and dedication to her work have left an indelible mark on the field of space travel.

In May 1997, she embarked on her second spaceflight as a mission specialist on the United States Space Shuttle Atlantis during mission STS-84. This mission further solidified her status as a trailblazer in the realm of space exploration.

Yelena Kondakova remained the last Russian woman to travel to space until her successor, cosmonaut Elena Serova, launched to the International Space Station on September 25, 2014. Her legacy continues to inspire future generations of female astronauts and engineers.