Yi So-yeon
Yi So-yeon (born June 2, 1978) is a South Korean astronaut and biotechnologist who became the first Korean to fly in space.
Yi So-yeon | |
|---|---|
| 이소연 | |
| Born | June 2, 1978 |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Occupation | Researcher |
| Space career | |
| KAP astronaut | |
Time in space | 10 d 21 h |
| Selection | 2006 South Korean program |
| Missions | Soyuz TMA-12, Soyuz TMA-11 |
| Website | https://instagram.com/astro_yisoyeon |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 이소연 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 李素妍 |
| Revised Romanization | I So-yeon |
| McCune–Reischauer | Yi Soyŏn |
| IPA: [i so.jʌn] | |
Lee was born and raised in Gwangju, South Korea and graduated from KAIST with a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 2006, she was selected as one of two finalists in the Korean Astronaut Program: a mission to send the first Koreans to space. A year later, it was announced that she was to be the backup. However, on March 10, 2008, it was announced that she would be the primary. On April 8, 2008, she was launched into space alongside two Russian cosmonauts. She spent around eleven days in space; on April 19, she returned to the surface.
Afterwards, Yi worked as a researcher at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI). She then attended the International Space University before resigning from KARI to pursue an MBA at the University of California, Berkeley Haas School of Business. She then moved to Washington and lectured at Everett Community College and the University of Washington.