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The cosmonaut selection campaign starts on March 14, 2017 - the Interdepartmental Commission decided to conduct the FSBI “Research Institute Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin" (CPC) competition for the selection of candidates for the ROSCOSMOS cosmonaut corps in 2017.
The goal is to take away the best specialists who, having skills in working with space and/or aviation technology, will become the first pilots of the new Russian spaceship"Federation" will work according to the program of the International space station(ISS), and will also become the first Russians to fly to the Moon.
According to the terms of the competition, it is expected to select six to eight people who will complement the ROSCOSMOS cosmonaut corps.
Contestants will have to go through several stages. Selection for compliance with educational and professional suitability requirements requires that applicants for cosmonaut candidates have the body of knowledge necessary to successfully complete the programs vocational training astronauts. A set of medical examinations will allow for the next stage of selection of applicants. Successful completion of a set of measures to assess the psychological qualities of applicants - necessary condition to win the competition. Candidates will also be required to undergo testing to meet physical fitness requirements.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Contender for cosmonaut candidates Russian Federation may be a citizen of the Russian Federation.
- The age of applicants must not exceed 35 years.
- Applicants must have higher education in engineering, scientific or flight specialties and have work experience. Priority in the selection is given to persons with experience in the aviation, rocket and space industries of the Russian Federation.
- Applicants must meet following requirements necessary for subsequent preparation for space flight, in particular:
- have the ability to study space technology (demonstrate the ability to understand the basics and principles of construction technical systems, understanding their physical essence, the ability to remember technical information, terminology and specifications);
- have knowledge of interaction with computer technology;
- know foreign language(English) within the framework of the requirements of programs of non-linguistic universities of the Russian Federation, etc.
WITH full list requirements for candidates and a list of required documents can be found on the website of the State Corporation "ROSCOSMOS" and the Cosmetic Training Center.
The main stages of selecting candidates for ROSCOSMOS cosmonauts will take place on the basis of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after. Yu.A. Gagarin.
Documents are sent by mail with notification or delivered by the applicant personally to the address: 141160, Moscow region, Star City, to the head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Research Institute of Cosmetic Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin" with the note "To the commission for the selection of cosmonaut candidates."
The cosmonaut selection campaign starts on March 14, 2017 - the Interdepartmental Commission decided to conduct the FSBI “Research Institute Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin" (CPC) competition for the selection of candidates for the ROSCOSMOS cosmonaut corps in 2017.
The goal is to select the best specialists who, having skills in working with space and/or aviation technology, will become the first pilots of the new Russian Federation spacecraft, will work on the International Space Station (ISS) program, and will also become the first Russians to fly to Moon.
According to the terms of the competition, it is expected to select six to eight people who will complement the ROSCOSMOS cosmonaut corps.
Contestants will have to go through several stages. Selection for compliance with educational and professional suitability requirements requires that applicants for cosmonaut candidates have the body of knowledge necessary to successfully complete cosmonaut training programs. A set of medical examinations will allow for the next stage of selection of applicants. Successful completion of a set of measures to assess the psychological qualities of applicants is a necessary condition for winning the competition. Candidates will also be required to undergo testing to meet physical fitness requirements.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
- An applicant for cosmonaut candidates in the Russian Federation may be a citizen of the Russian Federation.
- The age of applicants must not exceed 35 years.
- Applicants must have a university degree in engineering, science or flight science and have work experience. Priority in the selection is given to persons with experience in the aviation, rocket and space industries of the Russian Federation.
- Applicants must meet the following requirements necessary for subsequent preparation for space flight, in particular:
- have the ability to study space technology (demonstrate the ability to understand the basics and principles of constructing technical systems, understanding their physical essence, the ability to remember technical information, terminology and technical characteristics);
- have knowledge of interaction with computer technology;
- know a foreign language (English) within the framework of the requirements of programs of non-linguistic universities of the Russian Federation, etc.
A complete list of requirements for candidates and a list of required documents can be found on the website of the State Corporation "ROSCOSMOS" and the CPC (https://www.roscosmos.ru/media/files/docs/2017/prikaz.244.pdf).
The main stages of selecting candidates for ROSCOSMOS cosmonauts will take place on the basis of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after. Yu.A. Gagarin.
Documents are sent by mail with notification or delivered by the applicant personally to the address: 141160, Moscow region, Star City, to the head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Research Institute of Cosmetic Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin" with the note "To the commission for the selection of cosmonaut candidates."
According to information published on May 4, more than 30 people have already sent everything Required documents to qualify for cosmonaut class in 2017. Until July 14, last day There are still a little over two months left for documents to be accepted, and the intrigue remains - how many applications will be submitted in comparison with the previous intake in 2012? On the one hand, it feels like people have become more interested in space. On the other hand, sad news like the reduction of the Russian ISS crew and the departure of experienced cosmonauts from the squad may scare someone away. In the meantime, while documents are being accepted, it’s time to see what those who pass the selection will do.
Training on the Soyuz simulator, still from ESA video
Who's the last to go into space?
The first cosmonauts and astronauts had a good time - the luckiest ones could go on a flight a little more than a year after enlisting in the detachment. For Gagarin, this period was a year and a month, for Titov - a year and five months, and for Alan Shepard - two years and one month. But now you have to wait for your turn to fly for years. The volume of what needs to be learned (and passed an exam on it) has increased. But, most importantly, there is a long line of those who came to the detachment before you and have not yet flown. In the Russian cosmonaut corps, Nikolai Tikhonov from the 2006 recruit is still waiting his turn. And due to the fact that now there will only be one cosmonaut on the Soyuz in the coming years, for now they are appointing those who are already experienced and have flown, which prolongs Nikolai’s wait into the unknown. In general, if you think about it, the specificity of working as an astronaut is that your flight depends on many events or even accidents that cannot be calculated in advance. Astronaut Deke Slayton from the first American squad has been waiting for his flight for sixteen years, and this is not the limit. Astronaut Don Lind was constantly on canceled missions or assigned as a backup to "disappointingly healthy" people and flew after 19 years in the detachment. And the waiting record belongs to the only cosmonaut of independent Ukraine, Leonid Kadenyuk, who was able to go into space 21 years and 3 months after enlisting in the Soviet cosmonaut corps in 1976. And very a large number of people were never able to wait, dropping out due to health or other reasons. For the 2017 intake, the wait period is projected to be 15 years, a third longer than expected for the 2012 intake, of which none have flown yet.What to do while you wait?
But you shouldn’t think that being in the cosmonaut corps is lazy doing nothing while waiting for your turn. On the contrary, the work will be through the roof, and it won’t be possible to mess around with it. The first two years after enrollment in the detachment will be devoted to general space training - flight theory, control systems, navigation, principles of creating spacecraft, launch vehicles and launch complexes, basic knowledge the ship they will fly on and basic skills in working with its systems. After the course there will be a state exam, and passing it with less than an “excellent” score is not recommended - the title of cosmonaut may not be awarded and, at best, you will be sent to additional classes.The second stage - training in specialization groups, takes two years. Previously, there were many directions, but now there is only one specialization - ISS. The third stage is training within the crews. At this level, the crew has already been formed, and there is relatively little time left before the flight, two years. But the need to study does not disappear anywhere - cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov spoke about 120 exams in a recent interview. At later stages there is more practice on the Soyuz and ISS simulators. As a result, the astronaut will know his ship, the ISS, and flight experiments at a sufficient level. It was possible to train crews for Space Shuttle flights using a relatively short program, having worked through a list of operations for three weeks, but for six-month missions to the ISS this approach does not work - it is necessary to produce a widely trained specialist.
In parallel with the preparation, special training takes place. Obviously, for working in zero gravity it would be very useful to feel it at least for a while. There are special zero-gravity laboratory aircraft for this purpose. Parabolic movement allows you to create weightlessness for thirty seconds and train.
The opposite of weightlessness, centrifuge training has been carried out since the very beginning of the astronaut profession. When inserted into orbit, the cosmonauts will experience approximately 3 "zhe", during a normal landing - 4-5, during a ballistic descent - approximately 9, and the activation of the emergency rescue system in the event of an accident at the launch will give a short-term overload in the region of 10 "zhe", and to all this you have to be ready. At the same time, they will not allow you to simply endure overload - in the booth they will check your visual acuity and field of vision, as well as your reaction time.
A relatively large amount of time is devoted to survival training in various areas. Despite the fact that ships have been landing in a given area for a very long time (at least in a standard place for an emergency ballistic descent in the same Kazakh steppe), in the event of a serious accident they will have to land wherever they can, and no one wants cosmonauts to go to die without equipment in the snow, as it was very much in “The Time of the First”. On the contrary, they should print emergency supplies and stay alive until rescuers arrive.
For winter planting We have our own training base in the Moscow region.
Most of the Earth's surface is occupied by oceans, and, despite the fact that the Soyuz can float for a long time, evacuation still needs to be worked out.
In addition, there are trainings for desert areas, and recently mountainous survival has been added to the training program.
And if Belyaev and Leonov did not dare to evacuate by helicopter from the hover mode, now this method is definitely being worked out.
The work of an astronaut requires maintaining clarity of thought in conditions mortal danger. Therefore, during the selection process, experience in aviation, parachute jumping or extreme sports is welcome. Already in the detachment, under the controlled danger of a parachute jump, the ability to not lose one’s head is tested and trained. IN free fall need to decide enough simple tasks, a recording is made, and its results often surprise the subject. The stories of astronauts talk about how people for some reason started solving the card again or, for example, said something like “I’ll solve that later.”
NASA uses T-38 supersonic training aircraft to train astronauts and fly them around the country. In Russia, less time is allocated for flight training, and subsonic L-39s are used for flights, but flight experience for the same reasons of decision-making under controlled danger conditions was not completely excluded.
Interesting and not particularly known species Special space training is training cosmonauts in photography and video filming. A special plane rises to altitude, and the astronauts learn to take photographs of the earth from the air, which is not very different from photographing from orbit.
Even if there is no exit in the flight program open space, it may be needed in an emergency. And as the first attempts showed, it will be at least very difficult to perform work outside the station in a spacesuit without preparation. Therefore, it is better to practice in advance. As it turned out, best workout- a hydro laboratory where so-called neutral buoyancy can be created under water. Gravity will not disappear, and working, for example, upside down will be uncomfortable, but the skills of moving along the handrails and working with tools will be as similar as possible to those required in a real flight.
In order for the flight to be truly safe, cosmonauts “die” dozens and hundreds of times during training in simulators, figuring out from their own experience how and in what order they should respond to emerging situations. emergency situations so that a seemingly innocent and frivolous accident does not become the cause of your real death.
But in the cosmonaut corps you can look at space technology that is still being developed. And not just to watch, but to take part in its development.
In addition, you will have to travel a lot. Chris Hadfield in his memoirs estimates the time on business trips at 70%, Pavel Vinogradov says that “the family does not see the astronaut for years.” ISS - international station, therefore, in preparation for the flight, you need to undergo a month-long internship in Russia and the USA, as well as a two-week internship in Europe and Japan, and this is only the bare minimum. Foreign astronauts can spend six months in Star City every year, and ours also have a must-see destination.
Well, we must not forget the tasks of public relations. A flown astronaut can be involved in a wide variety of events, and non-flyers can even serve as tour guides at the Cosmonaut Training Center.
requirements. PREPARATION. PROSPECTS
If you are a citizen of the Russian Federation, you are no more than 35 years old and you know how to keep state secrets, you have a chance to become an astronaut.
How to do it?
Wait until Roscosmos and the Cosmonaut Training Center officially announce the next recruitment to the Russian detachment (the 17th recruitment took place in 2017).
Send all the necessary documents to the head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Institute Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin" at the address: 141160, Moscow region, Star City, with the note "To the commission for the selection of cosmonaut candidates."
Successfully pass the “space” interview and entrance tests.
Dedicate at least six years to preparation and training.
Wait for assignment to the crew and, in fact, fly into space.
Not enough specifics? We talk in detail about how to make space your profession.
WHAT ARE THEY TAKEN TO BE COSMONAUTS?
Today you don’t have to be Yuri Gagarin to get into the squad: the requirements for the new recruits are much softer than for the first.
57 years ago, an astronaut had to be a member of the party, be an experienced military pilot no taller than 170 cm and no older than 30 years old, have impeccable health and physical fitness at the level of a master of sports.
Today, political beliefs do not in any way influence the outcome of selection, although a number of “strategic” restrictions are still present. Thus, the path to space is closed to holders of dual citizenship and residence permits on the territory of a foreign state.
As for the “compactness” of the first detachment, it is associated with small in size spacecraft "Voskhod-1". Height restrictions remain, but in general, modern astronauts have become much taller. According to experts, in the future - when developing new models of space technology - it will be possible to move away from rigid anthropometric frameworks. The requirements may be relaxed after the five-seat Federation spacecraft is put into operation.
But for now, even the length of the foot is regulated.
There is no lower age limit, but the candidate must have time to obtain a higher education and work in his specialty for at least three years. During this time, a person has time to “prove himself” from a professional point of view. Only specialist and master's diplomas are "counted" (about bachelor's degrees in modern requirements nothing is said).
Most of space programs is international, so candidates are also required to know in English at the program level of non-linguistic universities. To be fair, it is worth noting that the training of foreign astronauts also includes the study of Russian (mainly technical terms).
There are no “core” universities yet, but Roscosmos actively cooperates with the Moscow Aviation Institute, Moscow State Technical University named after. Bauman and the Faculty space research Moscow State University.
Since 2012, open enrollments have been held in the Russian Federation, which means that not only military pilots and employees of the rocket and space industry have a chance to become an astronaut. Although engineering and flight specialties are still a priority.
Do humanists have a chance? Yes, but not in the near future. For now, as experts emphasize, it is faster to teach an engineer or pilot how to conduct a report or take a photo than professional journalist or a photographer - to understand complex space technology.
Regarding the level physical training, then the “space” standards are partially comparable with the GTO standards for age group from 18 to 29 years old. Candidates must demonstrate endurance, strength, speed, agility and coordination. Run 1 km in 3 minutes 35 seconds, do at least 14 pull-ups on the bar, or turn 360 degrees while jumping on a trampoline. And this is only a small part of the program.
The most stringent requirements are put forward for the health of potential cosmonauts. Problems that seem insignificant on Earth can become fatal under the influence of harsh space conditions.
If you get motion sickness while traveling, that's a problem. In space, where the usual concepts of up and down are absent as such, people with a strong vestibular apparatus are needed.
Regarding psychology: there are no fixed requirements for temperament, but, as doctors emphasize, both “pure” melancholic people and pronounced choleric people are not suitable for long-term missions. Space does not like extremes.
Yuri Malenchenko, pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, first deputy head of the Research Institute of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin
The psychological strength of those we select is high enough for a person to work well with any team. People must be fairly balanced and primarily focused on completing the flight program
Yuri Malenchenko, pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, first deputy head of the Research Institute of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin
It is also important to have a good memory, the ability to maintain attention, and the ability to work in extreme situations and under conditions of severe time pressure. And be punctual (work in space is scheduled by the hour). Therefore, we do not recommend that you be late for the interview.
Well, the common phrase that “if you really want to, you can fly into space” is not without practical meaning here. After all, one of the main requirements for future cosmonauts is strong motivation.
HOW THEY ON EARTH PREPARE FOR SPACE
Let's start with the fact that once you pass the selection process, you will not immediately become an astronaut. From “applicant to candidate” you will simply be transferred to “candidates”. Ahead of you are two years of general space training, after which you will have to pass State exam and receive the title "test cosmonaut".
They will be followed by two years of training in groups (which means about 150 more exams, tests and tests). And, if you are assigned to the crew, it will take another 18 to 24 months to prepare for the first flight under a specific program.
Despite all the romanticized ideas about the profession, you will spend most of your time studying the theory (from the structure of the starry sky to the dynamics of flight) and the principles of working with on-board systems and complex space equipment.
Oleg Kononenko,
Oleg Kononenko,
Russian pilot-cosmonaut, commander of the cosmonaut corps
During long-term training, you will begin to develop a set of certain qualities. Thus, professional composure, immunity to interference and multitasking are formed in the process of parachute training. During the jump, you concentrate not only on the flight, but also on other tasks, for example, reporting, solving problems, or deciphering ground signs. And, of course, it is important not to forget to open the parachute at an altitude of about 1200 meters. If you forget about it, the system will open it automatically, but the task will most likely not be counted towards you.
Another purely cosmic task is also associated with flights - creating weightlessness. The most “pure” possible on Earth occurs when flying along a certain trajectory, called the “Kepler parabola”. For these purposes, the Cosmonaut Training Center uses the Il-76 MDK laboratory aircraft. Within one “session” you have from 22 to 25 seconds to practice a specific task. As a rule, the simplest ones are aimed at overcoming disorientation and testing coordination. For example, you may be asked to write a name, a date, or a signature.
Another way to “reproduce” weightlessness is to transfer training underwater, to the Hydrolab.
Also, the future cosmonaut must thoroughly study the structure of the International Space Station. To do this, you will have at your disposal a life-size model of the Russian segment of the ISS, which will allow you to familiarize yourself with the structure of each module, conduct a “rehearsal” of orbital scientific experiments and work out various situations- from regular to emergency. If necessary, training can be carried out in various “speed” modes: both at a slow and at an accelerated pace.
The program also includes regular missions during which you will have the opportunity to study foreign segments of the station, including the American (NASA), European (EKA) and Japanese modules (JAXA).
Well, then - to the “exit”. This is the name of the simulator based on the Orlan-M spacesuit, which simulates a spacewalk - in a professional environment, it is considered the most difficult and dangerous procedure. And, perhaps, most of the cosmic stereotypes are associated with it.
So, they don’t put on a spacesuit - they “enter” it through a special hatch located on the back. The hatch cover is also a backpack in which the main life support systems are located, designed for ten hours battery life. At the same time, “Orlan” is not monolithic - it has removable sleeves and trouser legs (allowing you to “adjust” the spacesuit to your specific height). Blue and red stripes on the sleeves help distinguish those in outer space (as a rule, all such work is carried out in pairs).
The control panel located on the chest allows you to adjust the ventilation and cooling systems of the spacesuit, as well as monitor vital signs. important indicators. If you are wondering why all the inscriptions on the case are mirrored, then this is for your own convenience. You won’t be able to read them “directly” (the suit is not that flexible), but you can do this using small mirror, attached to the sleeve - quite.
It takes a lot of effort to work at Orlan for at least a few hours. Thus, movement in a 120-kilogram spacesuit occurs exclusively with the help of the hands (the legs in the space environment generally cease to perform their usual functions). Every effort you put into squeezing your gloved fingers is comparable to working out with an expander. And during a spacewalk, you need to make at least 1200 such “grasping” movements.
Typically, in real space conditions, after working outside the ISS, you may need to spend several hours in the airlock chamber in order to equalize the pressure. On Earth for a long stay in confined spaces prepared in a soundproof chamber - small room With artificial lighting And soundproofed walls. As part of general space training, the candidate must spend about three days in it. Of these, 48 hours are in continuous activity mode, that is, absolutely without sleep.
As psychologists emphasize, even if at first it seems to you that you are easy-going, patient and socially adapted, two days of forced wakefulness will “rip off all your masks.”
The final stage pre-flight preparation of astronauts - training in a centrifuge. The Cosmonaut Training Center has two at its disposal: TsF-7 and TsF-18. Contrary to popular belief, their size does not at all affect the “intensity” of the simulated overloads.
The maximum "power" of the overload created by the 18-meter TsF-18 is 30 units. An indicator incompatible with life. In Soviet times, when the requirements for cosmonauts were much stricter, overloads did not exceed 12 units. Modern training takes place in a more gentle mode - and the overload is up to 8 units.
What does the difference in size mean? As experts explain, the longer the centrifuge arm, the less discomfort your vestibular apparatus experiences, and the training goes more smoothly. Therefore, from the point of view of sensations, training on the relatively small TsF-7 may be more difficult than on the impressive TsF-18.
Also, before going into space, you will have to study in detail all the components of the flight: its theory, dynamics, processes of putting the ship into orbit, descent to Earth and, of course, the structure of the Soyuz MS itself. This usually takes about a year.
Oleg Kononenko,
Russian pilot-cosmonaut, commander of the cosmonaut corps
As for the preparation - when I boarded the ship for the first time (and it was already ready for launch and docked with the rocket), at first, of course, there was a feeling of excitement, but when the hatch was closed behind me, there was a complete feeling that I was in a simulator
Oleg Kononenko,
Russian pilot-cosmonaut, commander of the cosmonaut corps
Since it is not always possible to predict where the ship will land, you will have to go through a group of “survival” training in rather unfriendly locations: desert, mountains, taiga or open water. In a professional environment, this stage of preparation is considered an extreme analogue of team building.
Perhaps the most harmless component of pre-flight preparation is tasting and drawing up a space menu. To prevent everything from becoming boring during the flight, the diet is designed for 16 days. Then the set of dishes is repeated. Contrary to popular belief, freeze-dried products are not packaged in tubes, but in small plastic bags (the only exceptions are sauces and honey).
The main question: does everything you have completed guarantee that you will move on to the fourth stage of training, that is, a direct flight into space and honing the acquired skills outside of Earth?
Unfortunately no.
Thus, the annual medical expert commission can remove you at any stage (for your own good). After all, during training you will constantly test the strength of your own body’s reserve capabilities.
Yuri Malenchenko, pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, first deputy head of the Research Institute of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin
It happens that a person is already ready to be included in the crew, but within a specific program there is simply no place for him. That's why we don't carry out kits on a regular basis, but as needed. To ensure that there are no “extra” astronauts and that everyone is distributed in the most optimal way
Yuri Malenchenko, pilot-cosmonaut of the Russian Federation, first deputy head of the Research Institute of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin
WHAT EXPECTS THOSE WHO PASSED ALL STAGES
What will those six to eight people who will eventually be enrolled in the detachment do?
If everything goes well, they will have the opportunity to join the ranks of those who have flown into space.
According to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), this is . Among them are discoverers, explorers and holders of space records.
Over the next 10 years, the main location for space programs will be the ISS. It is believed that “newcomers” need to spend at least a month at the station in order to feel confident and acquire all the necessary skills for further work.
The priority task of astronauts in orbit is to conduct scientific research, which will help humanity advance in further development outer space. These include biological and medical experiments related to preparation for long-distance flights, growing plants in space conditions, testing new life support systems and working with new equipment.
During his third flight, Oleg Kononenko took part in the Russian-German experiment "Kontur-2", in which he remotely controlled a robot designed to explore planets.
Oleg Kononenko,
Russian pilot-cosmonaut, commander of the cosmonaut corps
Let's say we fly to Mars. We don’t know in advance where we can land. Accordingly, we will lower the robot to the surface of the planet and, by remotely controlling it, we will be able to select a landing site and land
Oleg Kononenko,
Russian pilot-cosmonaut, commander of the cosmonaut corps
You most likely will not have time to fly to Mars during your career. But to the Moon - quite.
Estimated launch dates for the Russian lunar program- 2031. As we get closer to this date, adjustments will be made to the cosmonaut training process, but for now the set of disciplines is standard.
You will also have to become imbued with space traditions: from the obligatory pre-flight viewing of “White Sun of the Desert” (for good luck) to avoiding the names of stones in call signs (for example, tragically deceased cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov's call sign was "Rubin"). However, in our time, call signs are an anachronism, and MCC employees quite often communicate with astronauts “by name.”