These are the ones who are hired as astronauts! Selection criteria. “As healthy as an astronaut!”

The interdepartmental commission of Roscosmos selected new candidates for test cosmonauts on Wednesday: they were representatives of RSC Energia Andrei Babkin and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, according to a message on the website of the Federal Space Agency.

In 2002, the participating states of the International Space Station (ISS) program agreed on a document establishing common criteria for the selection of astronauts and visitors to the ISS. The document is titled "Principles Relating to the Processes and Criteria for Selection, Appointment, Training and Certification of ISS Prime Crew Members and Visiting Crew Members."

The document defines two categories of crew members: professional astronauts (cosmonauts) and space flight participants. The category of space flight participants includes persons selected for flight (“sponsored”) by one or more space agencies - partners in the ISS program to carry out commercial, scientific and other programs, as well as representatives of space agencies that are not partners in the ISS, engineers, scientists , teachers, journalists, artists or tourists.

According to this document, the concept of “space tourist” is an integral part of the concept of “space flight participant”, thus, space tourists are private individuals who have made (or are preparing to make) a space flight, paying for it on a commercial basis.

This list of selection criteria applies to the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Canada, Japan and Europe.

Currently, the only used space tourism destination is the International Space Station. Flights are carried out using Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

Roscosmos and the American company Space Adventures are organizing flights for tourists. Space Adventures has been collaborating with Roscosmos since 2001.

The company Atlas Aerospace, created by employees of the Cosmonaut Training Center named after. Yu. Gagarin in 1999.

The flight to the ISS takes about a day, and the same is required to return. A tourist spends, as a rule, 8 days in orbit.

In order to become a participant in a space flight, you need to have 35-45 million dollars (this is how much a space tour has cost since 2009). In addition, if a space tourist is planning to go into outer space, another 45-55 million dollars are needed.

Selection criteria

To fly into space, even as a tourist, you must go through a very careful selection process.

According to the adopted "Principles", first of all, the background information of applicants is checked, and their behavior, both past and present, is assessed. For space flight participants, it is established that a candidate may not be allowed to fly if he:

Committed a crime or official misconduct during military service or work;
- is known for criminal, dishonest or disgraceful behavior;
- committed deception or knowingly gave false testimony during the inspection or during the appointment;
- prone to drunkenness;
- uses drugs or other substances, the distribution of which is limited;
- if the candidate's membership in (or support for) an organization adversely affects public confidence in any ISS partner, State Party or participating space agency, or if the candidate has publicly made unfavorable comments about them.

The candidate's profile is seriously checked with the help of Interpol, including by the countries participating in the ISS project. If a space tourist is a citizen of one of Russia’s partner countries on the ISS, then after checking his profile, no additional approvals are required. If a space candidate has the citizenship of a third country, then the consent of all 15 states participating in the ISS project will be required.

Then, candidates for space flight participants are necessarily checked for general fitness, health, psychological stability, English language proficiency, and ability to comply with the code of conduct for station crew members.

One of the most important requirements for flight participants is the ability to avoid linguistic barriers, which in space can pose a much more serious danger than on Earth. The adopted "Principles" state that flight participants must know English (read and speak English at the Intermediate Low level), and in addition, knowledge of other languages ​​may be required, depending on the location from which they intend to fly to the ISS. Since the flights are carried out by a Russian spacecraft, knowledge of the Russian language is also required.

Then, at the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems (IMBP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the health status of future space flight participants is checked. Space flight is a serious undertaking; it is associated with many risk factors: overload, weightlessness, and a number of other factors, therefore certain requirements are imposed on the level of human health. The medical selection of space tourists is based on principles developed for professional astronauts.

First of all, doctors look at the medical history (a set of information obtained during a medical examination by questioning the person being examined and/or people who know him) of the candidate for the flight, and study his medical history. Next, a comprehensive medical examination is carried out, after which the future tourist undergoes the full range of necessary procedures - donates blood, urine, etc. After outpatient studies, functional stress tests begin with physical activity on a bicycle ergometer, vestibular tests, etc. All readings are recorded and recorded. If the candidate passes these studies successfully, then he is allowed to undergo bench tests - rotation in a centrifuge, tests in a pressure chamber, etc. The maximum overload in a centrifuge, which is imposed on space tourists, is 8g in the chest-to-back direction.

There is only one age limit - the candidate for the flight must be at least 18 years old.

After the final medical examination, the crew flies to Baikonur 14 days before the launch for final preparations for the flight.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Currently, according to Roscosmos, the Russian cosmonaut corps consists of 34 people. Recruitment takes place every few years. Thus, the last call to the corps of cosmonaut researchers, based at the State Scientific Center of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems, took place in 2003 (11 people), the previous one was in 1997. A new set is coming. Who has a chance to get into space?

It turns out that if you are in good health and academic performance, you can apply to the cosmonaut corps, even as a student. You can get a job at a specialized enterprise, prove yourself and get your superiors to give a recommendation to Roscosmos - there has been a single team of cosmonauts operating there since January 1, 2011. You can queue up for the State Interdepartmental Commission under Roscosmos. Nowadays there are few people who want to become astronauts, and even fewer healthy people, so they offer big discounts for candidates. Previously, the competition was higher and the requirements were more serious. Now, if there are no serious illnesses, it is quite possible to undergo a medical examination.

They don't specifically look for big guys and supermen to be cosmonauts. On the contrary, it is better if you have an average build and short stature (you will take up less space). What is needed? Currently, cosmonauts must have the highest education - preferably in the field of physics or biology (accountants and artists are not yet accepted into space), because It’s no wonder that cosmonauts don’t go to the station, but still conduct scientific experiments and experiments there (mainly on growing animals and plants in zero-gravity conditions).

It is almost impossible to imagine that a spaceship is located on an ordinary street in Moscow. Nevertheless, an inconspicuous building on the territory of a scientific institute, in the lobby of which there are busts of Yuri Gagarin, Sergei Korolev and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, housed the hope of earthlings. Inside the large hangar are the ship's modules, where the test crew will have to spend 520 days in complete isolation from the outside world. In appearance, they are ordinary structures with the project logo. Near the open door, several people pack the laundry and put it in a large bag and vacuum it so that it takes up less space.

Specifically, cosmonauts are currently trained in three educational institutions in Russia. The largest of them is the Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, in second place is the Russian State Research Testing Center for Cosmonaut Training named after. Yu.A. Gagarin (RGNII TsPK), then the Russian State Institute of Medical and Biological Problems under the Ministry of Health in Moscow.

Astronauts have three main specializations.

Test cosmonaut. This is a spaceship pilot. His task is to pilot the aircraft, take off, land, coordinate the operation of all systems and crew actions. Test cosmonauts are recruited from among military pilots. To be among the lucky ones, you need an impeccable track record, a large number of flights, and among the qualities - natural leadership. Cosmonaut candidates need to write an application with a request to be accepted into the detachment and attach to it a reference from the military unit. After a preliminary assessment of applicants, the best are called to face-to-face tests. By the way, test cosmonauts are subject to the most stringent requirements for their health: ideal vision, absence of chronic diseases and bad habits.

Cosmonaut-engineer. He maintains the ship's technical systems, coordinates pre- and post-flight preparation of the aircraft, and participates in the development and testing of new technical systems. During the flight, performs all necessary repair work. Traditionally, the “training ground” for cosmonaut engineers is the Moscow Aviation Institute and Moscow State Technical University. Bauman. Most of the current specialists are graduates of these universities. But in principle, to apply for inclusion in the detachment, it is enough to have any higher technical engineering education and at least 3 years of work experience in the specialty.

Cosmonaut-researcher. Its task is to conduct research of a medical and biological nature. He is responsible for the health of crew members during the flight, conducts experiments, and studies the behavior of living organisms in conditions of weightlessness. Research cosmonauts are required to be included in long-term expeditions.

How to get to Star City

If you decide to become a test cosmonaut or an engineer cosmonaut, apply to the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation, and if you want to become a research cosmonaut, apply to the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems.

I dreamed a lot about space - as a child, like everyone else. And now, if they told me: “Mikhail, there is an opportunity to fly to the moon in 20 years, you just need to amputate your left leg, eat only gray bread and not drink champagne on holidays” - I would think twice before telling the joker to go to hell. It’s a pity, but the time of space-for-all has not yet come and will not come in my lifetime.

Basic requirements for future cosmonauts:

An active military aviation pilot with more than 350 hours of flight time and more than 160 parachute jumps.

Age from 27 to 30 years, height up to 175 cm, weight up to 75 kg (however, Mikhail Kornienko flew for the first time when he turned 50. All you need is health)

A great desire to become an astronaut

Be fluent in English, as this is the language used to communicate on the ISS; and the ability to connect with others

An impeccable reputation: no criminal record, no negative records in the personal file, mental balance; at this point, even those who have ever been noted for increased attention to the opposite (and, especially, not the opposite) sex can be “cut down”.

At the first stage, about 350 people are selected from questionnaires. A special commission tests applicants; they take tests in general education disciplines, physics, mathematics, and the Russian language. Candidates undergo interviews with psychologists and psychiatrists, and exams in their “civilian” specialty.

Then applicants undergo a strict medical examination, which cuts out about 200 people. But one medical examination is not enough, what if someone made an agreement with the doctor or hid some diseases. Therefore, a repeat medical examination is carried out even more strictly with other doctors. After the second, about 50 people remain. But that's not all.

The very last test takes place at the very center of cosmonaut training, here they are already looking to see if the person will break down and whether he will withstand it psychologically. For example, a future astronaut is locked for 5 days in a closed space without communication with the outside world, and he must remain awake the entire time. In total, in the end there remain 8 of the most persistent lucky ones who receive the right to study at the cosmonaut training center - they are enrolled in the cosmonaut corps for pre-flight training (which lasts several years). In their work books it is written: “Cosmonaut”.

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 the small size of the Voskhod-1 spacecraft. 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 diplomas of specialists and masters are “counted” (nothing is said about bachelors in modern requirements).

Most space programs are international, so candidates are also required to have knowledge of 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 of Space Research of 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. So far, as experts emphasize, it is faster to teach an engineer or pilot to report or take photographs than to teach a professional journalist or photographer to understand complex space technology.

As for the level of physical fitness, the “space” standards are partially comparable to the GTO standards for the age group from 18 to 29 years. 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

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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 about “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 the State exam and receive the title of “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, most of your time will be spent 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,

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I still remember the mnemonic rule for remembering and identifying constellations. So, the base constellation is Leo. And we remembered that Leo holds Cancer in his teeth, points at Virgo with his tail, and crushes the Cup with his paw.

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 routine 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 of autonomous operation. 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 suit, as well as monitor vital signs. 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 with the help of a small mirror attached to the sleeve.

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, people are prepared for a long stay in confined spaces in a soundproof chamber - a 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 of pre-flight training for astronauts is centrifuge training. 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

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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

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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. In order 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 place for implementing 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 that will help humanity advance in the further exploration of 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

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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.

The estimated launch date for the Russian lunar program is 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 be inspired by 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, the tragically deceased cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov had the call sign “Ruby”). However, in our time, call signs are an anachronism, and MCC employees quite often communicate with astronauts “by name.”

HOW DO COSMONAUTS JOIN?

The first groups of cosmonauts and astronauts accepted, respectively, only fighter pilots and test pilots with extremely excellent health. These were the demands of the time and scientists at that time.
Over time, the requirements became more lenient, and the opportunities to join the cosmonaut corps expanded significantly.
The sons of first generation cosmonauts - Volkov, Romanenko, Alexander Skvortsov - are already flying into space. Richard Garriott.\. And it seems that soon the third generation of astronauts – grandchildren – will be flying.
In any case, the plans for space exploration in both Russia and the United States are very large. And to fulfill them, more and more cosmonauts and astronauts will be needed.
In Russia, the last competitive selection for the cosmonaut corps took place in 2012. What is he talking about? There were just over 200 applications from those interested. Of the eight candidates recruited into the cosmonaut corps in 2012, only one was a pilot and one was a woman. Two from the CPC itself. True, in the final of general space training the eight had losses. And Anna Kikina did not receive the coveted test cosmonaut certificate the first time. So we must admit that the popularity of the cosmonaut profession in Russia has fallen catastrophically.
I often hear questions about how to become an astronaut. And this question is best answered by the regulations on the selection of candidates for the cosmonaut corps as of 2012. There is a lot to think about and make decisions accordingly. The regulations are published on the website of the Cosmonaut Training Center. Here it is.. General provisions
1.1. The temporary regulations on holding an open competition for the selection of cosmonaut candidates in 2012 (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations) is a document regulating the procedure for carrying out the selection of cosmonaut candidates in the Russian Federation within the framework of an open competition.
1.3. The selection of candidates for cosmonauts is carried out on the basis of regulatory and legal acts regulating space activities in the Russian Federation.
1.4. The basis for holding a competition for the selection of candidates for cosmonauts is the decision of the Interdepartmental Commission for the selection of cosmonauts and their appointment to the crews of manned spacecraft and stations.
II. Terms and definitions used
A candidate for selection is a person from among the citizens of the Russian Federation, whose application to participate in the selection procedures for cosmonaut candidates has been accepted by the Competition Committee.
The competition commission is a commission that carries out the selection procedures for applicants.
A cosmonaut candidate is a person selected from among applicants for selection to undergo training for a manned flight under an approved program.
The professional activity of an astronaut is a type of space activity that consists of training an astronaut and performing a manned space flight.
Professional selection is a procedure for selecting persons who, based on health, education and individual qualities, meet the professional requirements for cosmonaut candidates.
III. Accepted abbreviations
MVK - Interdepartmental Commission for the selection of cosmonauts and their appointment to crews of manned spacecraft and stations
PKA – manned spacecraft
Cosmonaut Training Center - federal state budgetary institution "Research Testing Center for Cosmonaut Training named after Yu. A. Gagarin"
VIII. Criteria for selecting cosmonaut candidates
8.1. General requirements
Only a citizen of the Russian Federation can become a candidate for Roscosmos cosmonaut.
The age of applicants must not exceed 33 years.
An applicant may be declared unsuitable for further selection if he does not meet any of the established requirements (criteria).
The following persons are not allowed to select cosmonaut candidates:
who are under criminal prosecution;
having an unexpunged (unexpunged) criminal record;
violating the legislation of the Russian Federation on the protection of state secrets.

8.2. Requirements for education, professional qualifications and work experience of applicants
Applicants must have a higher education confirmed by a state-issued document. Priority in the selection is given to persons with experience in the aviation, rocket and space industries of Russia.
Candidates who have the following levels of higher education, established by federal legislation, are admitted to the primary selection:
higher education, confirmed by awarding a person who successfully passes the final certification the qualification (degree) “certified specialist”;
higher education, confirmed by awarding a person who successfully passes the final certification a qualification (degree) of “Bachelor” or “Master”.
Documents certifying the presence of higher education among persons admitted to selection are:
specialist diploma of higher education;
Bachelor's or Master's degree.
The mentioned documents must be of state standard, and higher educational institutions must have state accreditation. Higher educational institutions must have one of the following statuses: university, academy, institute or higher schools equivalent to them.
Pilots and test pilots must have a higher flight education and a class rating of at least 3rd class, experience in flight work (service) in units, organizations, institutions involved in the operation, use, testing of aviation or space technology for at least three years in the flight specialty.
Persons with higher education must have at least 5 years of experience in their specialty and at least 3 years in one place of work.
Military specialists who successfully pass the selection process can be enrolled in the Cosmonaut Corps only after leaving military service.
8.3. Medical requirements
The medical requirements that determine the fitness level of cosmonaut candidates are set out in the Regulations on medical examination and monitoring of the health status of cosmonaut candidates, cosmonauts and cosmonaut instructors.
8.4. Moral and psychological requirements
When selecting applicants for compliance with psychological requirements, the following qualities of candidates are assessed:
personal: individual psychological, temperament, individual typological, character traits, type of higher nervous activity, abilities, needs, attitudes, motives, etc.;
professionally important psychological: memory, attention, thinking, perception;
moral: moral values, attitude towards people, readiness for self-improvement, etc.;
socio-psychological: ability for positive interpersonal interaction, tolerance, conflict.
The intellectual and creative potential of applicants is subject to assessment, including cognitive and creative activity, readiness and ability to learn.
Using test methods, the following are also studied: immunity to interference, ability to work under time pressure, cognitive behavior, etc.
When selecting applicants for compliance with moral and ethical requirements, the following are assessed:
biographical information, including information about the candidate’s personality and family;
educational and work activities, including data on behavior, activities and relationships in the team;
motivation to choose a new profession;
characteristics of character and behavior in ordinary and extreme situations;
presence of bad habits, etc.

8.5. Physical fitness requirements
The professionally significant physical qualities assessed when selecting cosmonaut candidates include: endurance, strength, speed, agility, and flexibility.
Based on the results of the exercises performed, grades are given for each exercise, physical quality and an integral assessment of physical fitness, which are compared with the required level of preparedness.

8.6. Requirements for professional competence
Applicants must meet the following requirements for professional competence necessary for subsequent training for space flight:
have at least 5 years of experience in the specialty and at least 3 years in one place of work;
have the necessary minimum of general knowledge in the field of the fundamentals of manned astronautics;
have the ability to study space technology (demonstrate the ability to understand the basics and principles of constructing technical systems, understand their physical essence, be able to remember technical information and technical characteristics);
have the ability to operate as a camera operator (determined based on the results of special tests). Applicants with test work experience are given preference;
knowledge of the Russian language (written and oral) must be at least good, in relation to the requirements of a secondary school in the Russian Federation;
knowledge of the English language with a grade of at least “good” according to the requirements of universities of the Russian Federation;
ability to use a personal computer, the Internet, e-mail, anti-virus programs, etc.;
have the necessary knowledge of the history of world and domestic cosmonautics;
have the necessary minimum of general knowledge in the field of cultural studies.
IX. Methodology for selecting cosmonaut candidates
9.1. General provisions on the selection of cosmonaut candidates
The beginning of the selection of cosmonaut candidates is considered to be the posting on the Roscosmos website of the decision of the international commission on its conduct. The corresponding notice on the Roscosmos website must contain information about the deadlines and form for submitting applications and documents for participation in the selection, the number of cosmonaut candidates to be selected, the conditions and procedure for the selection.
Applicants for selection are considered persons whose application for participation in the selection, together with a package of accompanying documents, is accepted by the Competition Committee before the expiration of the established deadlines for submitting applications.
Applicants who, according to the conclusion of the IEC, are recognized as the best for performing the professional activities of an astronaut are considered to have passed the selection.
The selection results and the decision of the International Commission on the selected cosmonaut candidates are published on the website
Roscosmos.
9.2. Sequence and content of procedures for selecting cosmonaut candidates (testing)
9.2.1. Acceptance of applications and documents of applicants for selection.
The competition commission, within the time limits established in the notice of selection of cosmonaut candidates, accepts applications and documents for participation in the selection from individuals (in accordance with the list of personal documents given in Appendix No. 1).
In addition, applicants must submit a package of medical documents in accordance with the mandatory list given in
Appendix No. 2.
Documents are sent by mail with notification or delivered by the applicant personally to the address: 141160, Star City, Moscow Region, to the head of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "Research Institute Cosmonaut Training Center named after Yu.A. Gagarin" with the note "To the cosmonaut selection commission."
Documents received by the Competition Committee are not returned to the applicant. The confidentiality of information received by the Competition Commission is guaranteed in accordance with Federal Law No. 152-FZ of July 27, 2006 “On Personal Data”.
All documents submitted by applicants can be checked in the prescribed manner by the Tender Committee for the accuracy of the information they contain.
9.2.2. Review of documents by the Competition Committee.
The competition commission reviews the submitted documents and weeds out applicants who do not meet the selection requirements. The remaining applicants are subject to personal verification (testing) for compliance with professional suitability requirements.
The competition commission, in accordance with the established procedure, calls applicants who have passed the preliminary selection to the CPC to check their compliance with the established requirements and organizes the work of its subcommittees for all types of selection.
9.2.3. Implementation of face-to-face professional selection (testing) procedures.
9.2.3.1. Selection for compliance with medical requirements.
Medical eligibility tests include:
examination of internal organs;
neuropsychiatric research;
surgical exploration;
ophthalmological examination;
otorhinolaryngological examination;
dental examination;
functional studies;
gynecological examination (when selecting women);
psychiatric research.
The main procedures for testing and examining candidates are carried out on the basis of the CPC. If necessary, specialists from other organizations and departments may be involved in their implementation.
9.2.3.2. Selection for compliance with psychological and moral requirements.
The psychological and moral qualities of applicants are assessed based on the results of special psychological studies, relevant interviews with applicants, the study of documents characterizing their life activities, and observations by expert psychologists of candidates during other types of selection.
9.2.3.3. Selection for compliance with the requirements for the level of physical fitness.
Assessment of professionally significant physical qualities of applicants, such as endurance, strength, speed, agility, is carried out based on the results of checking the applicants’ performance of standard physical exercises (standards are presented in Appendix No. 3).
9.2.3.4. Selection for compliance with educational and professional competence requirements.
Applicants for selection must have appropriate education and professional qualifications. Compliance with the requirements for education and professional competence is established by examining the relevant documents of applicants and is verified through oral examinations and special tests.
9.3. Registration of the results of selection of cosmonaut candidates
At the end of the professional selection procedures, the Competition Commission analyzes the results of testing and examination of candidates.
From among the applicants who meet all the requirements, the required number of persons, determined by the selection conditions, with the best results is selected for presentation to the IEC.
The MVK reviews the submitted documents and makes decisions on the approval of candidates for cosmonauts personally for each applicant and issues recommendations on their appointment to the positions of “candidate test cosmonauts” or “candidate cosmonaut researchers” of the Roscosmos Cosmonaut Corps.
IAC decisions on selected cosmonaut candidates are published on the Roscosmos website and communicated personally to all selected cosmonaut candidates.
A refusal to a cosmonaut candidate based on the results of an open competition does not require special justification and is brought to the attention of the candidate.

APPENDIX No. 1
List of personal documents submitted by applicants to the Competition Committee
The following documents are submitted to the Competition Commission for each applicant (individual):
1. application for participation in the competition;
2. a copy of the pages of the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation containing information;
3. characteristics from the place of work, approved by the head of the enterprise;
4. copy of the certificate of secondary education;
5. a copy of the diploma(s) of higher education and transcripts with grades;
6. copy of the work book (if available);
7. biographical information (autobiography);
8. contact information about the applicant (postal address, telephone, email address, etc.);
9. other significant documents, from the applicant’s point of view, their copies.
________________________________________
APPENDIX No. 2
List of medical documents submitted by applicants to the Competition Committee
The following medical documents are submitted to the Competition Commission for each applicant (individual):
1. Copy of outpatient medical record.
2. Results of the following examinations:
laboratory tests (general clinical blood test);
biochemical blood parameters (glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin (total, direct, indirect), alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gammaglutamyl transpeptidase, total protein, prothrombin, amylase, creatinine, urea, C-reactive protein, serum iron), blood type , Rh factor, Wasserman reaction, HIV, HbsAg, anti-HCV, general clinical urine test, general stool test, triple test for worm eggs, stool test for enterobiasis.
3. Anthropometric data (the maximum permissible values ​​of the corresponding indicators are indicated in brackets):
height in a standing position (150-190 cm);
height in a sitting position (80-99 cm);
body weight (50-90 kg);
maximum foot length (29.5 cm);
maximum transverse size of the shoulder region (52 cm);
maximum distance between the corners of the armpits (45 cm);
maximum hip width in a sitting position (41 cm).
4. Results and conclusions of the following instrumental studies:
electrocardiography at rest in 12 leads;
X-ray of the chest organs in 2 projections;
ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, thyroid gland, kidneys, pelvic organs;
fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy;
orthopantomogram;
conclusions and results of examinations and examinations by clinical specialists: dentist, neurologist, ophthalmologist, surgeon, ENT specialist, therapist (for women - gynecologist).
5. Conclusions of tuberculosis, dermatovenerological, drug addiction and psychoneurological dispensaries.
6. Conclusion of VLEK GA for the category of amateur pilots.
________________________________________
APPENDIX No. 3
Standards for performing physical exercises by applicants
The physical fitness of applicants is assessed by performing the following exercises:
endurance assessment: running 1 km (result no lower than 3 min. 35 sec.), crawl swimming 800 m (result no lower than 19 min. 00 sec.), cross-country skiing 5 km (result no lower than 21 min. 00 sec.);
strength assessment: pull-ups on the crossbar (result no less than 14 times), flexion-extension of arms in support on the uneven bars (result no less than 20 times), angle in support on the uneven bars (result no less than 15 sec.);
speed assessment: 60 m run (result not lower than 8.5 sec.), shuttle run
10 x 10 m (result not lower than 26 sec.), standing long jump (result not lower than 2 m 30 cm), swimming 25 m (result not lower than 19 sec.);
agility assessment: coordination of movements, exercises on a trampoline (jumps with a turn of 90, 180, 360 degrees, jump height of at least 60 cm), diving (jump - fall from a springboard head down, height 3 m);
special physical fitness: Romberg test, active orthostatic test (the conditions for performing the exercises are extremely simple and are communicated to the applicant during the testing process), long diving (result not lower than 20 m);
assessment of the prospects of training using on-board means of physical training: running on a treadmill (time 11 minutes), manual bicycle ergometry (time 3 minutes).
The grounds for rejecting candidates during selection are:
unsatisfactory level of physical fitness;
minimum level of physical fitness compared to other participants in the competitive selection;
the least balance of physical qualities with the same levels of physical fitness among several participants in the competitive selection.

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The next recruitment of cosmonauts is planned for 2016. Those who want to fly into space can submit an application and try to pass the selection sieve.
In the United States, in 2012, they also conducted a selection of new candidates for the astronaut corps. Out of 6,000 candidates, 8 people were selected - four men and four women. The recruitment was targeted - the main goal of MARS.
Everything is changing in the traditions of astronauts. Previously, cosmonauts did not even give short interviews to anyone before their first flight. It was considered unethical, and it was a bad omen. And now. Before they had time to enroll him as a candidate for cosmonaut, Blinov was already giving an interview. And Serova couldn’t resist either, although she wasn’t flying yet.
And Kikina, having become a cosmonaut candidate in 2012, immediately became Serova’s backup, whose flight was planned for 2014. There is no one else!

LESNIKOV VASILY SERGEEVICH.

NASA recently reported that it had completed recruiting volunteer astronauts. The United States is preparing for a new space age and is actively looking for new space explorers. Out of more than 18 thousand people, only 12 passed the selection. And no wonder: the requirements for candidates are truly cosmic. In parallel with this, Roscosmos is also recruiting cosmonauts. In Russia, only 400 people decided to link their fate with the stars. Medialeaks compared the requirements of Roscosmos and NASA to understand where it is easier to get your dream job.

The United States is actively preparing for a new space age, largely not without the ambitious plans of Elon Musk’s company, which firmly intends to send people to Mars in the near future. For this and other space purposes, NASA has opened a call for volunteers who want to join the space corps. In the United States, working as an astronaut is considered incredibly prestigious and well-paid, so it is not surprising that 18,300 people responded to the aerospace agency’s call. True, only 12 of the most worthy were able to pass the selection.

How to become a NASA astronaut

The requirements for Russian candidates, whose recruitment was announced in March, are practically no different from the American ones. Here are the main paragraphs:

Only a Russian citizen no older than 35 years can be a candidate for cosmonaut.

The applicant must have a higher education in engineering, science or flight and have work experience. Priority in selection is given to persons with experience in the aviation, rocket and space industries.

Those wishing to become a Russian cosmonaut must have the ability to study space technology (they will have to demonstrate this to the commission) and be able to interact with computer technology.

Know English.

The standards of required physical training approximately correspond to the GTO. The candidate must run 1 kilometer 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.

In Russia, eligible candidates also face two years of initial training. As the deputy head of the Scientific Research Institute TsPK, test pilot Yuri Malenchenko told TASS, these are about 150 different tests. At the same time, according to him, most of your time will be spent studying theory (from the structure of the starry sky to flight dynamics) and the principles of working with on-board systems and complex space equipment. Well, they will also intensively prepare for overloads and work in a spacesuit.

Let's return to the mercantile issue, namely money. Russian cosmonauts, according to the Tekhkult portal, have two salaries - earthly and space. For work in space, naturally, they pay more and quite decently - from 130 to 150 thousand dollars for six months.

“Earthly” labor is estimated much more modestly - in the range of 80–100 thousand rubles per month according to data for 2016-2017. There are also bonuses in the amount of a quarter of the monthly salary and an annual bonus in the amount of the salary. In addition, Russian cosmonauts receive bonuses for class and length of service - 120% (1st class) and 40%, respectively.

Although, probably, after a flight into space, such earthly issues as money cease to worry. In addition, life in orbit is quite fun even without them, according to American astronaut Jack Fisher, who, while on the ISS, runs a YouTube channel about the life of the station. In his videos, the man shows, for example, how he struggles with bubbles from drinks and on a treadmill for a workout.

Although NASA has equally interesting vacancies on Earth. Not long ago, the agency posted a vacancy for a specialist in the fight against extraterrestrial life forms. And this is not a joke, although the work is similar to what was shown in the film “Men in Black”.