Aleksandr Gorbunov

Aleksandr Vladimirovich Gorbunov (Russian: Александр Владимирович Горбунов; born May 24, 1990) is a Russian cosmonaut who is planned to fly on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission in September 2024. Before joining the cosmonaut corps, he served as a Lieutenant of the Air Force of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Armed Forces. He also worked as an 1st category design engineer of transport cargo aircraft of RSC Energia named after Sergei Korolev.

Early years, studies and professional activities
Born on May 24, 1990, in the city of Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region. In 2008, after graduating from secondary school No. 6 in Zheleznogorsk, he entered the Moscow Aviation Institute. From 2009 to 2012, he studied at the department of military at the Moscow Aviation Institute, specializing in “Operation and repair of aircraft, helicopters and aircraft engines,” reserve lieutenant. Since 2012, he worked as a 1st category technician at PJSC, RSC Energia named after S.P. Korolev. In 2014, he graduated with honors from the institute with an engineering degree in “Spacecraft and Upper Stages”. Since March 2014, he worked as an engineer of the 2nd, then 1st category in the design of transport cargo aircraft of RSC Energia named after S.P. Korolev.

Space training
In 2015, he underwent a medical examination at the Institute of Biomedical Problems, and also passed an internal “mini-exam”. In June 2017, he submitted an application to participate in the cosmonaut corps. In November 2017, he received clearance from the Chief Medical Commission. On August 10, 2018, based on the results of a meeting of the interdepartmental commission, he was recommended for enrollment as a candidate test cosmonaut in the cosmonaut corps.

On October 1, 2018, he was enrolled in the cosmonaut corps and began general space training. In February 2019, as part of a conditional crew, he began training on actions after landing in a woods and swampys in winter (“winter survival”). In August 2019, as part of a group of cosmonaut candidates, he underwent diving training at the Noginsk Rescue Center of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. On August 30, 2019, he successfully passed the exam and was awarded the qualification “ diver ”. In October 2019, as part of a conditional crew, together with Konstantin Borisov and Kirill Peskov, we went through a full cycle of “water survival” at the Port of Sochi on the Black Sea in the Adler district of Sochi. Also, from October 2018 to November 2020, he underwent flight training on the L-39 aircraft; special parachute training, training in zero gravity conditions, reproduced on board the Ilyushin II-76 aircraft; tests in a sound chamber.

On November 24, 2020, he passed the state exam following the completion of a general Astronaut training course. On December 2, 2020, by decision of the Interdepartmental Qualification Commission, following a meeting at the Yu. A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, he became test cosmonaut.

In July 2021, as part of a conditional crew, together with Alexander Grebenkin and Alexey Zubritsky, he underwent a two-day training to practice actions after landing a spacecraft in arid conditions.

On January 20, 2022, the Interdepartmental Commission for the Selection of Cosmonauts approved Gorbunov as part of the main crew of the ISS Expedition 72.

In February 2022, as part of a conditional crew, together with Sergei Mikajev and Alexei Zubritsky, he took part in training on actions after an emergency landing of the descent module in the steppe in winter. On February 10, 2023, Gorbunov, together with Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Alexei Zubritsky, practiced survival skills in the forest.

In May 2023, information appeared on the website of the Yu. A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center that Gorbunov was being trained as a backup cosmonaut for Alexander Grebenkin, a member of the main crew of the American manned spacecraft Crew Dragon's SpaceX Crew-8 mission, which is scheduled to be launched to the ISS in early February 2024. Gorbunov was also being trained as a flight engineer for the main crew of the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft and the ISS Expedition 72. Later, he was selected for SpaceX Crew-9 mission in January 2024 under the Dragon-Soyuz cross-crew flight system to allow the station to be continuously manned, in case, either of the two crewed vehicles runs into issues.

Flight
Gorbunov is currently training with SpaceX Crew-9 crew, to serve as a Flight Engineer on Expedition 71/72, where he is expected to stay 6 months.