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Nikolai Chub
Nikolai Chub
Nikolai Chub
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Nikolay Aleksandrovich Chub (Russian: Николай Александрович Чуб; born 10 June 1984) is a cosmonaut selected by the Roscosmos space agency in 2012.

Key Information

Biography

[edit]

Prior to selection as a cosmonaut, Chub obtained a degree in management and informatics from the South-Russian State Technical University (Novocherkassk Polytechnic Institute) in 2006 as the top member of his class.[1] He subsequently obtained a graduate degree in economics from the same institution.

Prior to his selection as a cosmonaut, Chub directed the astronautics firm Space Tu, LLC. He was selected as a cosmonaut candidate in 2012 and was named a test cosmonaut on June 16, 2014.

In 2019 Chub participated to the training ESA CAVES,[2][3] organized by the European Space Agency, held between Italy and Slovenia.

Chub trained as a backup crewmember for the Soyuz MS-12 flight to the International Space Station, and in accordance with his Roscosmos biography, had been selected as a crewmember for the Soyuz MS-17 mission, but was subsequently replaced by American astronaut Kathleen Rubins.[4]

In January 2022 Chub was denied without explanation a visa to the United States to visit the Johnson Space Center and to hold a five-week session there to get acquainted with the American segment of the ISS.[5] Roscosmos considered that the decision of the American side threatens the safety of the astronaut on the ISS.[6] After the publication of this information, a visa for a trip to the United States was issued to Chub a few days later.[7]

Chub was again assigned as a backup crew member for Soyuz MS-22, and then flew on MS-24. He returned on Soyuz MS-25 after a year long mission in space.[8]

References

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Nikolai Chub

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Nikolai Aleksandrovich Chub (Russian: Николай Александрович Чуб; born 10 June 1984) is a Russian cosmonaut employed by Roscosmos, selected as a cosmonaut candidate in 2012 after graduating as an engineer from South-Russian State Technical University in 2006.
Chub completed his maiden spaceflight aboard Soyuz MS-24, launching on 15 September 2023 alongside commander Oleg Kononenko and NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara to join the International Space Station (ISS), where he served as flight engineer for Expeditions 69 and 70.
During the mission, Chub participated in two extravehicular activities (EVAs) with Kononenko, including one on 25 April 2024 lasting 4 hours and 36 minutes to conduct maintenance and inspections on the Russian segment of the ISS.
He and Kononenko established a new record for the longest single human spaceflight at 374 days, 17 hours, and 39 minutes, surpassing previous durations before undocking in Soyuz MS-25 and landing on 23 September 2024 in the Kazakh steppe with NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson.

Early Life and Education

Upbringing and Family

Nikolai Alexandrovich Chub was born on June 10, 1984, in , , (now ). The city of lies in southern 's , a region historically characterized by its agricultural prominence—producing significant shares of national , sunflower, and vegetable outputs—and industrial activities, including heavy machinery and synthetic products manufacturing. Details on Chub's and are sparse in , reflecting limited disclosure typical for Russian and personnel. He is married and has at least one young daughter, who accompanied him and his wife at official post-mission ceremonies in October 2024 following his return from the . Growing up in the post-Soviet era of economic transition after the USSR's dissolution in 1991, Chub experienced a formative environment in a provincial industrial-agricultural hub, which may have instilled early discipline amid regional challenges, though specific family influences on his later interests in physical endurance and technical fields remain undocumented.

Academic and Initial Training

Nikolai Chub graduated from the South Russian State Technical University (now State Technical University of ) in 2006, earning an degree with a specialization in "Management and in Technical Systems." This curriculum, focused on the faculty of information technologies and including coursework in and telemechanics, provided foundational expertise in technical system control and essential for roles in complex operational environments. Chub's academic training aligned with the interdisciplinary demands of Russia's sector, emphasizing practical applications in and over purely theoretical pursuits.

Pre-Cosmonaut Career

Military Service

Nikolai Chub did not serve in the Russian Armed Forces prior to his selection as a cosmonaut candidate in October 2012. Official biographies from the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and other space agencies detail his pre-selection career as a civilian engineer, with no record of military enlistment or operational roles. After graduating from South-Russian State Technical University in 2006 with a degree in management and informatics in technical systems, Chub worked in the private space sector, including as general director of LLC "Space You," a firm focused on space-related activities. This civilian trajectory contrasts with the military aviation backgrounds of many earlier Soviet and Russian cosmonauts, who often entered the corps from pilot positions requiring rigorous operational discipline in high-stakes environments. Chub's engineering focus instead built technical proficiency in and , skills directly applicable to operations but developed outside structures. His selection reflects Roscosmos's broadening criteria post-2010s to include non-military specialists for ISS missions, prioritizing and economic expertise over combat or flight hours.

Aviation and Extreme Sports Pursuits

Prior to his cosmonaut selection, Nikolai Chub pursued interests through extensive , a involving specialized aerodynamic suits to enable controlled gliding during freefall. He completed over 200 parachute jumps, incorporating wingsuit flights that emphasized precision maneuvering and risk assessment in high-altitude environments. In 2011, Chub established Russian and European records in the category of large wingsuit formations, coordinating group flights that required synchronized aerial control and formation stability over extended distances. These achievements, achieved as personal endeavors outside professional obligations, highlighted his aptitude for technical proficiency under dynamic conditions akin to those in operations. Chub also engaged in endurance-building activities such as , which served to cultivate physical resilience and navigational skills transferable to isolated mission scenarios. Complementary pursuits including parachuting and further underscored his affinity for controlled high-risk endeavors, fostering mental fortitude through repeated exposure to variable environmental challenges.

Cosmonaut Selection and Preparation

Selection Process

Nikolai Chub was selected as a cosmonaut candidate by on October 8, 2012, joining the agency's inaugural open recruitment group that drew from public applicants across . The process evaluated over 200 initial submissions, narrowing to eight candidates through multistage assessments including medical examinations, , and technical interviews focused on engineering aptitude. These evaluations prioritized candidates under 35 years of age with higher education in , , or fields, alongside verifiable professional experience. Chub's qualifications stood out due to his engineering degree from the South-Russian State Technical University and subsequent service in the Russian Air Force's radio technical brigade from 2006 to 2012, where he worked on air defense systems requiring precise technical and operational reliability. This background aligned with criteria emphasizing practical expertise in complex systems and high-stakes environments, supplemented by Chub's demonstrated physical endurance through extreme sports like , in which he holds records for distance and altitude. The selection underscored the Russian program's meritocratic focus on candidates capable of withstanding prolonged physical and mental demands, as tested via metrics such as swimming proficiency, strength endurance, and balance under stress, rather than incorporating demographic quotas observed in certain Western selection processes. Following selection, Chub was designated to the 2012 cosmonaut cohort alongside peers like Pyotr Dubrov and Sergei Korsakov, undergoing initial general training at the Cosmonaut Training Center. By June 2014, he qualified as a test cosmonaut after completing foundational preparations, marking his formal entry into the active corps without initial mission assignments. This phased approach ensured only those meeting rigorous performance thresholds advanced, reflecting ' historical reliance on and for operational resilience in long-duration missions.

Specialized Training

Following his selection as a cosmonaut candidate in 2014, Nikolai Chub underwent intensive specialized training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, focusing on Soyuz spacecraft operations, microgravity simulations via parabolic flights and neutral buoyancy facilities, and survival exercises in extreme terrestrial environments to build resilience for prolonged space isolation. This curriculum, emblematic of Russian programs' emphasis on merit-driven reliability and operational redundancy rather than inclusivity quotas, prepared candidates through iterative drills prioritizing fault-tolerant execution over ideological adaptations. In September 2019, Chub participated in the European Space Agency's CAVES analog mission in , joining astronauts from , ESA, , CSA, and —including Alexander Gerst, Joe Acaba, , Takuya Onishi, and Josh Kutryk—for a two-week expedition simulating confined-space and human factors critical to multinational ISS operations. The training commenced with classroom and practical sessions on scientific protocols, followed by a descent into the Divača cave system on September 20, where participants conducted experiments in darkness and isolation to hone communication, decision-making, and psychological endurance for long-duration missions. To integrate knowledge of the ISS's U.S. Orbital Segment, Chub secured a U.S. in 2022 for a five-week stint examining American hardware, software interfaces, and procedures, a prerequisite completed prior to his September 2023 launch and underscoring the technical interoperability demands of extended expeditions. These phases collectively equipped Chub for the physiological and procedural rigors of a year-plus ISS residency, with Russian protocols stressing empirical testing over diversified participation metrics.

Space Missions

Expedition 69/70/71 Mission

Nikolai Chub launched to the International Space Station aboard Soyuz MS-24 on September 15, 2023, at 15:44 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome's Site 31, serving as a Roscosmos flight engineer alongside commander Oleg Kononenko and NASA flight engineer Loral O'Hara. The spacecraft docked autonomously to the Poisk module of the Russian segment at 18:53 UTC, approximately three hours and nine minutes after liftoff, while the station orbited 260 miles above Ukraine. Chub's assignment covered Expeditions 69, 70, and 71, with initial duties including handover procedures from the departing Expedition 68 crew and systems checks to ensure station functionality. During the mission, Chub contributed to operational maintenance, scientific experiments, and extravehicular activities. He participated in a spacewalk with Kononenko on October 25–26, 2023, lasting 7 hours and 41 minutes, focused on deploying a new airlock camera and inspecting external equipment. Additional tasks encompassed routine upkeep of life support systems, biomedical research on microgravity effects such as heart health and fluid shifts, and Russian Segment-specific experiments including plasma physics and material science tests. The mission duration extended to 374 days due to prior Soyuz coolant leak incidents that disrupted crew rotation schedules, necessitating prolonged station residency to maintain continuous human presence and operational continuity. Chub returned to Earth on September 23, 2024, aboard Soyuz MS-25, undocking from the station at 04:36 EDT and landing at 11:59 UTC in the Kazakh steppes near Zhezkazgan after a ballistic reentry profile. The returning crew included Kononenko, Chub, and NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, who had arrived via Soyuz MS-25 in March 2024, marking the handover of the Russian Segment docking port. This flight represented Chub's cumulative orbital time of 374 days, 20 hours, and 15 minutes.

Achievements and Records

Duration and Endurance Milestones

Nikolai Chub's single spaceflight spanned 374 days, from the launch on September 15, 2023, to the landing on September 23, 2024, establishing the record for the longest continuous stay on the . This exceeded the prior benchmark of 371 days set by astronaut Frank Rubio during Expeditions 68/69 in 2022–2023. As a first-time cosmonaut, Chub's duration also represents the longest for any rookie on a maiden orbital mission, verified through and mission logs. Alongside veteran cosmonaut , Chub surpassed the previous Russian crew record of 370 days, 21 hours, and 22 minutes held by Sergei Prokopyev, , and from their 2022–2023 mission. The mission's length was enabled by the Soyuz vehicle's proven reliability for extended docking and the ISS Russian Orbital Segment's independent and systems, which sustain longer increments than typical NASA-led six-month rotations. Chub's prolonged exposure contributed empirical data on human physiological limits, including microgravity-induced fluid shifts leading to cardiovascular and reduced exercise capacity, as well as elevated radiation doses—estimated at 100–200 millisieverts for a year-long stay—comparable to multiple CT scans. These findings, drawn from pre- and post-flight assessments, underscore adaptations in Russian training protocols for mitigating bone demineralization and in extended microgravity environments.

Contributions to ISS Operations

During his tenure aboard the as part of Expeditions 69, 70, and 71, Nikolai Chub contributed to the maintenance of the by participating in spacewalks to address coolant leaks from the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. On October 25, 2023, Chub, alongside , conducted an (EVA) from the Poisk airlock to inspect a leak first observed on October 9, 2023; they reset loop valves, isolated the affected from supply lines, and photographed the site, confirming a persistent leak while applying pressure to verify the source. This intervention helped mitigate risks to thermal control systems, preserving the functionality of Russian hardware integral to overall station operations. Additionally, Chub performed internal upkeep tasks, such as connecting cables to an optical telescope-radio detector system, checking battery temperatures and connections in the Zvezda service module, and photographing battery cables in Nauka on October 2, 2023, alongside orbital plumbing duties. Chub supported scientific by installing and deploying equipment for Russian experiments during EVAs. On April 25, 2024, he and Kononenko completed the deployment of the fourth panel on a communications system and installed hardware for the Kvarts-M and Perspektiva-KM experiments on the Poisk module, aimed at advancing and materials testing in microgravity. These efforts enabled data collection on atmospheric monitoring and technological validations, with results contributing to Roscosmos logs for potential ground applications in and sensor development. He also operated the 3D printer in Zvezda, facilitating additive tests that supported in-orbit production capabilities for station components. Amid ongoing binational operations, Chub's extended presence as a aided seamless crew handovers and between Soyuz rotations, ensuring continuity in Russian segment protocols despite external geopolitical pressures. His coordination with multinational crew members on shared maintenance and experiment protocols demonstrated the practical resilience of joint ISS frameworks, allowing uninterrupted execution of over 200 Russian experiments during his mission. This underscored the causal benefits of sustained technical interdependence, as Russian expertise in segment-specific repairs complemented NASA-led systems, averting potential disruptions to station and timelines.

Controversies and Geopolitical Context

U.S. Visa Denial and International Tensions

In January 2022, the United States denied Russian cosmonaut Nikolai Chub an entry visa to attend a scheduled training session at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, without providing an explanation for the refusal. The training, planned as a five-day session on a replica of the U.S. Orbital Segment of the International Space Station (ISS), was required for Chub to prepare for his role in the Soyuz MS-23 mission set for early 2023. Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin stated that the denial created direct safety risks for Chub during his ISS tenure, as inadequate familiarity with the U.S. segment could compromise emergency procedures and operational coordination in the shared station environment. Rogozin emphasized that Russia had never denied visas to U.S. astronauts for analogous training at Star City, framing the incident as a unilateral U.S. action that undermined longstanding bilateral space agreements. The denial occurred against the backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and , particularly over the brewing crisis in , which led to heightened sanctions scrutiny on Russian officials and entities. warned that politicizing visa issuances for mission-critical training could jeopardize overall ISS safety and binational crew interoperability, potentially setting a for reciprocal measures that would disrupt joint operations. , while maintaining a stance of willingness to host Russian cosmonauts for training once visas were approved, deferred visa decisions to the U.S. State Department, highlighting a separation between agency cooperation and broader enforcement. Following diplomatic interventions, the U.S. issued the to Chub on January 26, 2022, enabling him to complete the necessary preparations without further delay. This resolution underscored Russian persistence in upholding flight commitments despite the disruption, as Chub's mission launched successfully in February 2023, demonstrating the resilience of ISS partnership frameworks amid frictions. The episode exemplified how U.S.-driven visa restrictions, prioritized over technical safety imperatives, risked counterproductive outcomes for international space endeavors, though core operational continuity prevailed.

Personal Life and Post-Mission Activities

Family and Interests

Nikolai Chub is married and has at least one young daughter, details of which emerged publicly following his return from the on September 23, 2024. He appeared with his wife and daughter at cosmonaut meetings in the region on October 25, 2024, highlighting as a private anchor amid professional demands. This personal stability supported endurance during the 374-day mission separation, aligning with patterns observed in long-duration spacefarers where familial ties mitigate isolation effects, though Chub has not detailed specific statements on the matter. Chub maintains interests in aviation, hiking, and wingsuit flying, pursuits that predate his cosmonaut selection and emphasize physical and technical challenges. He holds multiple records in wingsuit flying, demonstrating precision and risk management skills transferable to space operations. These hobbies facilitate work-life balance without public controversies or media exploitation, underscoring a duty-oriented approach over celebrity, with no reported scandals in his record.

Recent Developments

Following the landing on September 23, 2024, in the steppe near Zhezkazgan, , after a record 374-day stay aboard the , Nikolai Chub entered a standard medical and rehabilitation protocol managed by specialists to mitigate physiological impacts of extended microgravity, including and vestibular readjustment. By October 7, 2024, confirmed that had completed the acute re-adaptation phase, with overall recovery progressing effectively under continuous medical monitoring initiated immediately post-landing. This outcome highlights the robustness of Russian cosmonaut and recovery protocols for long-duration missions, countering assessments of program degradation despite geopolitical strains on bilateral cooperation. Listed as an active cosmonaut at age 40, Chub's extensive operational experience positions him for prospective roles in ' continued ISS commitments, which extend through under intergovernmental accords, reflecting sustained Russian contributions to station maintenance and research amid diversification toward independent orbital infrastructure.

References

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