Alexander Samokutyayev
- Soyuz TMA-21
- Expeditions 27 and 28 flight engineer
For Alexander Samokutyayev, at 40, this was his first time in space. Graduated from the Gagarin Air Force Academy as a pilot-engineer in 2000, he has received various Russian Armed Force medals.
Samokutyaev has flown as pilot, senior pilot and deputy commander of air squadron, logging 680 hours of flight time and performed 250 parachute jumps. He is a Russian Air Force pilot and a qualified diver.
Samokutyaev qualified as a test-cosmonaut in 2005. Since then he joined the International Space Station advanced training as a backup commander and, from 2009, as a flight engineer.
