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

Alexander Fedorovich Poleschuk
RSC ENERGIA Test Cosmonaut

PERSONAL DATA: Born October 30, 1953 in Cheremkhovo, Irkutsk region, Russia. Resides in Moscow, Russia. Married to Irina Petrovna Poleschuk (nee Chistyakova). They have one daughter. His mother, Valentina Sergeevna Poleschuk, died in 1995. His father, Fedor Demyanovich Poleschuk, died in 1981.

EDUCATION: Graduated from Moscow Aviation Institute in 1977 with a mechanical engineering diploma.

HONORS: Awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

EXPERIENCE: Alexander Poleschuk has worked as a test engineer at RSC ENERGIA since 1977, where he was occupied with perfecting repair and assembly techniques performed during space flights. He has extensive experience in test work under simulated weightlessness conditions.

In February 1989 he was selected as a test cosmonaut candidate (1989 Cosmonaut Candidates Class, Group 14, Civil Specialists). From September 1989 to January 1991 he underwent the complete course of general space training and was qualified as a test cosmonaut.

February 1991 to March 1992 Alexander Poleschuk undertook advanced training for the Soyuz-TM transport vehicle and Mir Station flight.

March to July 1992 he underwent flight training as flight engineer of a back-up Russian-French Soyuz TM-15 transport vehicle crew comprised of G.M. Manakov, A.F. Poleschuk, and J.P.Haigner from France.

July 1992 to January 1993 Alexander Poleschuk underwent a complete course of training as flight engineer for the Soyuz-TM-16 transport vehicle and Mir Station for the 13th primary expedition. January 24 to July 22, 1993, he participated in a 179-day space flight with Gennady Manakov. During the flight he performed two EVAs totaling 9 hours and 58 minutes. Testing of the androgynous peripheral docking subassembly of the Kristall module was performed.

October 1994 to March 1995 he trained as back-up flight engineer for the Soyuz TM-21 transport vehicle and Mir Station 18th primary expedition flights.

Additional training included flight training for some new programs including Mir-Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS).

AUGUST 2002