Zenia Marchenko

Zenia “Irina” Marchenko is a Soviet cosmonaut of The Leonov in 2010: Odyssey Two, and the youngest member of the crew.

2010: Odyssey Two
In the novel, Zenia Marchenko is introduced after Heywood Floyd awakens from hibernation. She was assigned to the crew, at the last minute, after one of the cosmonauts had been injured. Marchenko shelters with Floyd while the Leonov executes a dangerous and dramatic maneuver. Zenia becomes a love interest of Max Brailovsky, whom she eventually marries.

Irina Yakunina
In the film adaption, Zenia’s character takes the name of her mentor Dr. Irina Yakunina (Natasha Shneider), the ship’s nutritionist. In the novel, Dr. Yakunina was injured in a sporting accident that prevented her from joining the Jupiter mission. Marchenko takes her place aboard the Leonov at the last minute. However, the film does not mention Zenia Marchenko by name, but rather applies Zenia’s character to Irina.

2061
By 2061, Zenia serves along with Heywood Floyd, one of the only two surviving members of the Leonov mission.