RGNIITsPK picture

YI So Yeon

Space Flight Participant, South Korea

DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH:
April 27, 1978, the city of Kwangju.

EDUCATION AND RANKS:
She finished Kwangju Science High School. She attended mechanics courses at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. She got the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Science at Taejon University.

FAMILY STATUS: Unmarried.

HOBBY: sport.

SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS:
She goes in for tae kwon do, since the age of 12 she was a permanent member of the Olympic national team.

WORK EXPERIENCE:
She attends a post-graduate course in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology – KAIST; engaged in preparation for defending doctor’s thesis in the field of biotechnology.
In October 2006 she was selected as one of the 30 semifinalists of South Korean nation-wide recruitment of cosmonauts for space flight to the ISS onboard Russian space vehicle in spring 2008.
In November 2006 she was selected as one of the 10 recruited finalists.
On December 2, 2006 as one of the 8 finalists she was sent to RGNII CTC after Yu.A. Gagarin for medical examination. Also she took part in flights to experience weightlessness onboard IL-76-MDK plane and in experiments conducted in neutral buoyancy laboratory.
On December 12 she was named among six cosmonaut candidates.
On December 25, 2006 she was officially announced by one of the two finalists of the nation-wide recruitment of cosmonaut candidates.
From January 15 through January 24, 2007 she had successfully (with no remarks) passed preliminary medical examination at the Institute for Medical and Biological Problems (IMBP) in Moscow as confirmed at the meeting of the Medical Experts Board (MEB) on January 24, 2007.
On March 1, 2007 she initiated a final stage of medical examinations at RAS Institute for Medical and Biological Problems. On March 6, 2007 at meeting of the Chief Medical Board (CMB) she was allowed to take part in special trainings. On March 7 she started general space training (GST) at RGNII CTC after Yu.A. Gagarin.
On September 5, 2007 the Ministry of Science and Technology announced that she was selected first South Korean backup cosmonaut.
On November 5, 2007 at the meeting of Roscosmos Interdepartmental Commission for Selecting Cosmonauts and their Enlistment in Crews of Manned Space Vehicles and stations she was approved as a space flight participant, backup crew member of the Fourteenth visiting Crew (VC-14).
In March 2008 the Ministry of Science and Technology (South Korea) by its decision transferred her to prime crew of the Fourteenth Visiting Crew (VC-14).

March 2008
Materials from Internet Site www.astronaut.ru