Aleksandr Samokutyaev: key obituary facts
Is Aleksandr Samokutyaev dead? Yes. Aleksandr Samokutyaev died on June 17, 2026, at age 56.
Cause of death: Aleksandr Samokutyaev's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Aleksandr Samokutyaev known for?
He was known as Russian cosmonaut.
More about Aleksandr Samokutyaev
Born: 13 March 1970.
Place of birth: Penza.
Gender: male.
Occupation: aircraft pilot, astronaut, politician.
Nationality: Russia.
Education: Penza State University, Gagarin Air Force Academy.
Awards: Hero of the Russian Federation, Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class, Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, Medal "For Military Valour", 2nd class, Medal for distinguished military service, 1st class, Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal.
Also known as: Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Samokutyayev, Aleksandr Mikhailovich Samokutyaev.
Aleksandr Samokutyaev, a Russian politician and former cosmonaut, died on June 17, 2026, at age 56.
Born in Penza on March 13, 1970, he built a career in aviation and spaceflight before entering politics. Samokutyaev served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station during Expeditions 27 and 28, commanded Soyuz TMA-21, and later flew on Soyuz TMA-14M as part of Expeditions 41 and 42.
He studied at Penza Polytechnic Institute, graduated from the Chernigov Higher Military Pilot School in 1992, and completed the Gagarin Air Force Academy in 2000. Since 2020, he had represented the Lermontovsky constituency in the State Duma.