PERSONAL DATA: Born April 29, 1953, in Kirya, Chuvashia (Russia). Married to Marina Lvovna Budarina (nee Sidorenko). There are two sons in the family, Dmitry and Vladislav. His hobbies include fishing, skiing, picking mushrooms. His father, Mikhail Romanovich Budarin, died in 1984. His mother, Alexandra Mikhailovna Budarina, died in 1986.

EDUCATION: Graduated from the S.Ordzhonikidze Moscow Aviation Institute in 1979 with a mechanical engineering diploma.

SPECIAL HONORS: Awarded the titles of Hero of Russia, and a Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation

EXPERIENCE: Since 1976 Budarin has occupied the positions of engineer and leading engineer at the RSC ENERGIA. In February 1989 he was enrolled in the ENERGIA cosmonaut detachment as a candidate test cosmonaut.

From September 1989 to January 1991, he underwent a complete basic space training course at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and passed a State examination. Budarin is qualified as a Test Cosmonaut.

From February 1991 to December 1993, he took an advanced training course for the Soyuz-TM transport vehicle and the Mir Station flight.

From June 27 to September 11, 1995, Budarin participated in a space mission as a board engineer of the 19th long-term expedition launched by the Space Shuttle and landed by the Soyuz TM-21 transport vehicle.

From January 28 to August 25, 1998, he participated in a space mission as a board engineer of the 25th long-term expedition aboard the Mir Orbital Station.