By LeaAnn Klentzman

A Russian cosmonaut, a Russian immigrant and the International Space Station will make history on August 10 when cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko weds Clear Lake resident Ekaterina Dmitriev while he is miles above the Earth aboard the space station.

Yuri Malenchenko, a Russian cosmonaut in the United States for training with NASA, met Ekaterina Dmitriev five years ago during a Yuri Gugarin celebration. In 1961 Gugarin was the first to orbit the Earth. Each year Russians celebrate his accomplishment on April 12.

Malenchenko and Dmitriev met again in 2002 and began the relationship that has led them to the Fort Bend County Clerk’s Office.

Dmitriev said the couple did not marry before he left due to training constraints. They have elected to marry now because according to Dmitriev, "The occupation of cosmonaut is not a low risk job as we have all witnessed lately. We do not expect anything to happen but he wanted to make sure I would be ok."

Ekaterina Dmitriev arrived at the Fort Bend County Courthouse to procure a marriage license and was met by numerous reporters. County Clerk Dr. Dianne Wilson, PhD., met Dmitriev, guided her through the maze of paperwork slowing the process only long enough to allow her to select the style of marriage license she wanted. After all the business was out of the way, Wilson presented Dmitriev with a dozen yellow roses as a touch of Texas and offered the couple best wishes. "This is the first time in history that a marriage license has been issued to someone who is not on this Earth," said Wilson.

It seems the smoothest part of the process for Dmitriev and Malenchenko may be the procurement of the marriage license. Originally the couple was to have wed via video phone. The Russian government balked and refused to allow the military/scientific equipment for that purpose. So the plan changed. The couple will now wed via phone link and have a proxy available just in case, as the civil ceremony is held on August 10 in Clear Lake. Friend Harry Noe will be the stand-in for Malenchenko if the line were to fail or if the Russians decide to prohibit the use of the phone line as well.

Noe, a retired Houston attorney has helped Dmitriev navigate the system so that she will have all the proper papers and the marriage will be legal and binding. Wilson said, "The convenience and personal service our office has to offer is just what they were looking for. She did not want to be just another number."

Just as the bride was accepting her flowers and chatting with reporters, her father called to get better directions. He had taken a wrong turn on his way to Richmond. Shortly thereafter he arrived with more papers for the clerk.

Upon his arrival, Dmitriev’s father, Victor, was asked by reporters what he thought of his daughter’s approaching marriage. He responded by saying, "I am a very happy father; she has found a great man. This will send a great message to the US and Russia." Victor Dmitriev then smiled at reporters and said, " To create a family, the sky is the limit."

On July 21 the Russian News Agency put out the word that Commander Yuri Malenchenko had called off the wedding. "That in fact is FALSE," according to Wilson who said that she spoke to Noe who spoke this morning to the Cosmonaut, and the wedding WILL take place on August 10 as planned, according to Malenchenko and his bride Ekaterina Dmitriev.