posted 04-10-2009 01:08 PM               

Medvedev demands hand over Cosmonauts Training Center to Roskosmos

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev demands hand over the Cosmonauts' Training Centre from the Defence Ministry to the Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos). At a meeting in the Kremlin with cosmonauts and representatives of the rocket and space industry on the eve of Cosmonautics Day celebrated in Russia on April 12, Medvedev recalled that he had signed the corresponding decree that "no one cancelled and no one changed."

"Should under the decree and in compliance with the decisions that had been taken earlier, everything is handed over, that is to say the whole complex - not only the list of staff and some organisational issues, but also material resources - it must be done so," Medvedev said.

posted 04-08-2010 12:29 PM               

Chairman of the Russian Government Vladimir Putin Visited Star City

Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister, visited Star City on Tuesday, PAO of the Russian Government informs.

The Prime Minister got familiar with the work of Gagarin Scientific, Research and Cosmonaut Training Center. Vladimir Putin also held a meeting to discuss further evolution of Star City and GCTC, as well as GLONASS mapping issues.

Putin especially emphasized the necessity to develop social and scientific basis of GCTC located at Star City.

"Most of the objects here were built in 1980s. For that time, these objects were modern ones. After many years, the current demands are to be respected", Putin said during meeting. “It is clear that this is a unique facility, which manages to fulfill its functions today. However we have to think about the future.”

The visit today began from flower-laying to the monument of Gagarin at Star City. Russian Prime Minister was escorted by Vice Premier Sergey Ivanov, the Head of the Russian Federal Space Agency Anatoly Perminov, GCTC Chief Sergey Krikalev, cosmonaut-veterans Alexey Leonov, Valentina Tereshkova, Valery Bykovsky, Victor Savinykh, other officials.

Putin reviewed GCTC simulators and training facilities, including ISS simulator and hydro-laboratory, which are used to train nominal and contingency situations while preparing for further space missions.

Sergey Krikalev told Prime Minister about new simulators to reproduce two Russian modules to be attached to the International Space Station soon. The first one, MRM1, will fly aboard US shuttle in May this year. According to Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov, the Russian space lab is functionally similar to Japanese Kibo and ESA’s Columbus.

Then, Putin visited the hydrolab commissioned in 1980. This complicated facility provides friendly environment for the crews to train their skills in 0-g. The Chairman of the Government was told that the 12-m-deep pool is used to train extra-vehicular activities. Putin witnessed a piece of nominal training session of the crew intended to make their spacewalk later this year.

Perminov explained that, while GCTC is being handed over from the Ministry of Defense to Roscosmos "…continuous functioning of the Center is still maintained. This is very important since ISS crew increased from 3 to 6 in 2009".

"We managed to keep unique personnel of the Center… The necessary equipment has been handed over, together with material resources and aircraft", Perminov said.

He added that, following the Resolution of the Russian President, organizational efforts are undertaken to reform the closed military town into the township of Zvezdny, Moscow region.

posted 04-08-2010 12:32 PM               

After visiting the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin held a meeting on the further development of the Centre and Star City.

Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, we have been planning to hold this meeting with Mr. Perminov (Head of the Russian Federal Space Agency - Roscosmos) for a long time now to discuss further improvement of the Centre and Star City.

The process of transferring the centre and Star City from the Ministry of Defense to Roscosmos is nearly complete. The main facilities were built in the mid to late 1980s, and during that time these were state-of-the-art facilities.

Obviously, many years have passed since then - 20 odd years. It is time to take a fresh look based on today's requirements. This is my first point. I'm referring primarily to social issues and certain pieces of equipment.

Clearly this centre remains a unique facility. There are only three such facilities in the world. Our Centre was essentially the first. It continues to play the same role and it still meets modern standards, without a doubt. But it is time to look toward the future.

I propose that today we discuss the improvement of the Centre, its simulators, laboratories and research equipment, as well as social issues related to housing construction. Around 400 families here are in need of better housing. One apartment building is under construction, but this is not enough.

Let's discuss the whole range of issues today. These are pressing issues, particularly so given that Cosmonautics Day is fast approaching.

Let's get to work.