Aleksandr Skvortsov (cosmonaut)

Did You Know?

• Skvortsov is a qualified underwater diving and powered paragliding instructor.
• His hobbies include diving, soccer, badminton, fishing, hunting, and tourism.

Cosmonaut career

Skvortsov served as a flight engineer on Expedition 23, launching on April 2, 2010, from Baikonur Cosmodrome with Mikhail Korniyenko and Tracy Caldwell-Dyson. He celebrated his 44th birthday on the ISS on May 6, 2010. During a Change of Command ceremony on May 31, 2010, Expedition 23 commander Oleg Kotov handed over duties to Skvortsov, who then commanded Expedition 24.

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft undocked on September 24, 2010, at 10:02 p.m. EDT, and landed near Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, on September 25 at 5:23 a.m. GMT.

After returning, Skvortsov remarked that he missed spicy food, having consumed all the spicy ketchup on the ISS and made wasabi sandwiches. He flew again on Soyuz TMA-12M with Oleg Artemyev and Steven Swanson, launching March 25, 2014, and landing September 11, 2014, as a flight engineer on Expedition 39. Skvortsov launched on July 20, 2019, arriving at the ISS the same day to join Expedition 60/61.

Education

Skvortsov graduated from the Stavropol Air Force Pilot and Navigator School at Stavropol Shpakovskoye Airport as a pilot-engineer in 1987. He later graduated from the Military Red Banner Air Defense Academy in 1997. He is currently pursuing a law degree at the Russian Academy of Civil Service. His awards include Hero of the Russian Federation, Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, the Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR," the Russian Armed Forces Meritorious Service Medal of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree, the Commendation Medal of 3rd degree, and the Military Superior Service medal of 2nd degree.

Expedition 23/24

Skvortsov served as a flight engineer on ISS Expedition 23, traveling to the station aboard Soyuz TMA-18 with Mikhail Korniyenko and Tracy Caldwell-Dyson on April 2, 2010, from Baikonur Cosmodrome. He celebrated his 44th birthday in space on May 6, 2010.

He became commander of Expedition 24 during a change-of-command ceremony on May 31, 2010, when Oleg Kotov handed over duties. The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft undocked on September 24, 2010, and landed near Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on September 25. After returning, Skvortsov remarked that he loves spicy food, makes hot chili sauce, missed it in space, finished all the spicy ketchup on the ISS, and made wasabi sandwiches.