Leonid Kadeniuk

Leonid K. Kadeniuk (Ukrainian: ?????? ???????, born 28 January, 1951 in Klyshkovychi, Chernivets'ka oblast' of the Ukrainian SSR) is the first and as of 2005 the only astronaut of independent Ukraine. He made his flight on NASA's Columbia in 1997 as part of the international mission STS-87. Kadeniuk holds the rank of Ukrainian Air Force Major General.

Related Topics:
Ukrainian - 28 January - 1951 - Chernivets'ka oblast' - Ukrainian SSR - As of 2005 - Astronaut - Ukraine - NASA - Columbia - 1997 - STS-87 - Ukrainian Air Force - Major General

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Kadeniuk has been a career Soviet military pilot and cosmonaut since 1976. He began his service in the Soviet Air Force and later the Cosmonaut Group. With the break-up of the Soviet Union, Kadeniuk remained in the Russian Space Forces and adopted Russian citizenship. In 1995, during the preparation of the first Ukrainian space mission, he volunteered to take part and immigrated to his motherland.

Related Topics:
Soviet - Pilot - Cosmonaut - 1976 - Soviet Air Force - Cosmonaut Group - Break-up of the Soviet Union - Russian Space Forces - Citizenship - 1995 - Immigrated

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There were two main candidates for the mission, the other being Yaroslav Pustovyi, a civil Ukrainian scientist in space research. Kadeniuk was chosen as better-trained and accustomed to space mission organization.

Related Topics:
Yaroslav Pustovyi - Scientist

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After the flight, Leonid Kadeniuk continued his Ukrainian space program career, in the NKAU.

Related Topics:
Ukrainian space program - NKAU

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In the 2002 parliamentary election, he was elected to the Verkhovna Rada in the list of pro-Kuchma United Ukraine Bloc. Later, Kadeniuk joined the oligarch-oriented "Trudova Ukrayina - Industrialists and Entrepreneurs" faction, but hasn't been politically active. He works within parliament's Committee on Defense and National Security.

Related Topics:
2002 parliamentary election - Verkhovna Rada - Kuchma - United Ukraine Bloc - Oligarch

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