Valery Tokarev is a Russian astronaut and test pilot known for his contributions to space exploration. He was born on July 2, 1947, in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. Tokarev flew on two space missions, including a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2000. His experience as a test pilot helped him prepare for the challenges of space travel. During his career, Tokarev logged over 400 hours in space. He was part of the Soyuz program and contributed to various scientific experiments conducted in microgravity. His work has been significant in advancing human understanding of living and working in space.