National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas 77058
Biographical Data

Oleg Dmitrievich Kononenko
Test Cosmonaut
RCS ENERGIA

PERSONAL DATA: Born June 21, 1964, in Chardzhow, Turkmenia. Married to Tatiana Mikhailovna Kononenko (nee Yurieva). They have a son, Andrey Olegovich Kononenko, and a daughter, Alisa Olegovna Kononenko. Oleg enjoys reading, and team sports.

EDUCATION: Graduated from the N. E. Zhukovskiy Kharkov Aviation Institute in 1988 as a mechanical engineer.

AWARDS & HONORS: Federal Space Agency Gagarin Medal.

EXPERIENCE : After graduating from the Aviation Institute in 1988, Kononenko worked at the Russian Space Agency’s Central Specialized Design Bureau of the TsKB Progress State Research and Production Rocket-Space Center in Samara, starting as an engineer and working his way up to leading design engineer. His responsibilities included system design and analysis and development of spacecraft electrical power systems.

On March 29, 1996, Oleg was selected as a cosmonaut candidate by the decision of the Interagency Committee.

From June 1996 to March 1998, he underwent basic cosmonaut training at Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and on March 20, 1998, was awarded the title of test cosmonaut by the Interagency Qualification Committee.

In October 1998 he began training as part of the group of cosmonauts selected for the International Space Station (ISS) Program.

In January 1999 he was assigned to the RSC Energia Cosmonaut Corps as a test cosmonaut.

From December 17, 2001, through April 25, 2002, Kononenko trained as a backup flight engineer for the Soyuz TM-34 vehicle for the third ISS visiting crew.

From March 2002 through February 2004, he trained as the flight engineer for the Soyuz TMA vehicle and the Expedition-9 and Expedition-11 primary crews.

From March 2004 through March 2006 he trained as part of the group of cosmonauts selected for the ISS Program.

In March 2006 Oleg began training as a flight engineer for the Soyuz TMA-12 vehicle and the Expedition-17 prime crew.

JANUARY 2008