Born on August 27, 1984 in Novosibirsk, Anna Kikina is a Russian test astronaut and the only female-astronaut in the ‘Roscosmos’ since 2016.

The Russian state-owned news agency, RIA Novosti, announced Anna had been assigned to the Soyuz MS-22 mission, set to launch on 21 September 2022, for a 188-day mission, where she’s expected to do a spacewalk.

Anna graduated from the Novosibirsk State Academy of Water Transport in 2006 with a degree in Protection in Emergency Situations and two years later, received a degree in Economics and Enterprise (Transport) Management.

In 2012, Anna officially became a candidate for the position of test astronaut. Over the next two years, she went through many tests and commissions in training and officially received the position in 2014.

Although she has no experience of flying into space yet, in 2017 she took part in the international experiment ‘SIRIUS’ – simulating a flight to the Moon! When she isn’t training, Anna is practicing other extreme sports including rafting, polyathlon and skydiving.

Anna is among the latest role models chosen for Mattel’s “You Can Be Whoever You Want” campaign, which is aimed at inspiring young girls to pursue the profession of their choosing.