Graduated from Engineering Institute of Civil Aviation, Riga, 1974; graduated from Higher Military Aviation School in Akhtubinsk, 1983 with a engineering diploma; Candidate of technical sciences degree, 2000; doctorate in technical sciences, 2007; aviation engineer; received several awards as aerobatic flyer; was selected as cosmonaut on 11.05.1990 by GMVK; 1991 appointed to Major and transferred to the cosmonaut group of Air Force (TsPK-11); OKP (cosmonaut basic training): 01.10.1990 - 13.09.1991; was assigned as double for Soyuz TM-13; following his retirement he became deputy head of the Zhukovsky academy and was appointed to Major General (September 2003); was chief of the on 27.03.2007 founded National Spaceagency of Kazakhstan.
His documents will certainly show January 7, 1951 as date of birth, but his mother obviously "cheated" when giving the authorities his date of birth and concealed his real birthday (December 7, 1950).