Maxim Surayev is a Russian cosmonaut born on January 21, 1977, in Krasnoyarsk, Russia. He graduated from the Krasnoyarsk State Technical University and later joined the Russian Air Force, where he became a pilot and engineer. Surayev was selected as a cosmonaut in 2003 and has participated in multiple space missions. Surayev flew on Expedition 20/21 to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2009 and later commanded Expedition 30 in 2012. Throughout his career, he has spent over 200 days in space, contributing to various scientific experiments and international cooperation in space exploration.