February 23

Vasily Lazarev was selected as a Soviet cosmonaut in 1965, blending his expertise as a physician and Air Force officer. He flew on Soyuz 12 in 1973 and Soyuz 18 in 1975, spending over 50 days conducting experiments in orbit. During his missions, he focused on biomedical research to understand human physiology in microgravity. Lazarev retired from the cosmonaut corps in 1981 and later held leadership roles in the Soviet space program. His contributions advanced long-duration spaceflight capabilities and medical science until his death in 1990.

Clayton Anderson was born in 1959 in Omaha, Nebraska. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas in 1981. Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998, he flew aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-117 in 2007. Anderson joined Expedition 15 as a flight engineer, spending over 195 days in space and completing multiple spacewalks. His experience spans both shuttle operations and long-duration orbital missions. After retiring from NASA, he has devoted himself to promoting STEM education and public engagement in space exploration.