posted 01-27-2012 04:57 PM               

Roscosmos recruiting new class of cosmonauts

Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, announced on its website Friday (Jan. 27) that it was seeking new candidates to join its cosmonaut corps.

The selection process will be overseen by a committee representing the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (YGTC), RSC Energia and the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IMBP).

Applications should be submitted through the training center.

This selection, which is open to the Russian public, differs from one held last year by the training center that focused more on candidates already working for the space program.

posted 02-23-2012 10:38 AM               

The open selection drive was launched on January 27 and runs until March 15. Of the current applicants, 27 work in the space industry, traditionally the main source of cosmonauts, Krikalev said.

But the list also includes applicants from other professions, including an airline pilot and three army officers, he said. There are also seven women among the applicants, said Sergei Krikalev, head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

Not all applicants were serious. One applied because he lived close to the cosmonaut training center and wanted to save time on commuting, while another sought to leave documents on his mental health out of his paperwork, Vitaly Davydov, deputy chief of the Federal Space Agency, said.

Recruiters expect more applications to flow in because contenders need to provide a handful of medical and other documents, the collecting of which takes time, said Krikalev, a cosmonaut who holds the world record for combined time spent in orbit with 803 days in six flights.

posted 10-10-2012 07:34 AM               

Roscosmos selects 8 cosmonaut candidates

Roscosmos, Russia's Federal Space Agency, announced on Monday (Oct. 8) it has chosen eight candidates to enter basic training for the cosmonaut corps.

The selection, which was the first open call for trainees in the history of the Russian space program, drew 304 applications. The applicants were originally narrowed to 51 and then nine for further evaluation, leading to the class of eight candidates. They are:

• Fedyaev Andrei
  Born in 1981 in Serov, Sverdlovsk region.

  In 2004 he graduated from the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute "Operation of Air transport and Air Traffic Control." Military pilot 2nd class.

• Ignat, Ignatov, N.
  Born in 1982 in Kremenchuk, Poltava region of Ukraine.

  In 2004 he graduated from the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy as an engineer "Technical maintenance of aircraft electrical systems and flight control and navigation systems."

  In the space industry for more than eight years. Lead Test Engineer for EVA work in the neutral buoyancy lab at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. He has more than 500 hours under water.

• Korsakov, Sergei
  Born in 1984 in Frunze (Bishkek NV) Kirghizia.

  A graduate of Bauman (2006), with honors, an engineer by profession "Rocket Engines." Hired by LLC "Info Capital Group."

• Blinov, Oleg
  Born in 1978 in the village of Kirov-Chepetsk Tatars region Kirov region.

  In 1998, he graduated from the Kirov Military Aviation Technical School on "Technical maintenance of aircraft and engines." Graduated with honors. In 2001 he graduated from the Vyatka State Agricultural Academy, specialty — mechanical engineer.

  Chief engineer for operations for EVA at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. Experience in the aerospace industry for over 10 years.

• Petelin, Dmitry
  Born in 1983 in Kustanai Kazakhstan.

  In 2006, he graduated from South Ural State University. An engineer, "Aircraft and Helicopter."

  Place of work: LLC "Nick." Design Engineer third class of department "aircraft design." Experience in the aviation industry for over six years.

• Chub, Nikolai
  Born in 1984 in Novocherkassk, Rostov region.

  In 2006 he graduated from the South-Russian State Technical University, specialty - engineer ("Management and Informatics in Technical Systems"). SRSTU graduate student.

  Place of work: OOO "Space Tu."

  Has more than 150 parachute jumps, including flights in wingsuit (costume-wing). Russian and European record holder in 2011 in the class of large wingsuit-formations.

• Dubrov, Peter V.
  Born in 1978 in the city of Khabarovsk.

  In 1999 he graduated from the Khabarovsk State University. Software Engineer, specialty "Software computers and automated systems."

  Place of work: LLC "CBOSS International Development."

• Kikin, Anna Y.
  Born in 1984 in Novosibirsk.

  She graduated from the Novosibirsk State Academy of Water Transport (with honors). An engineer "Protection in Emergency Situations" (2006), economist-manager in "Economics and Management" (2008).

  Place of work: LLC "Radio Siberia Altai".

  Master of Sports in polyathlon (all-around), and rafting, winner of silver medal "Ski Track of Russia" (2011).

posted 10-13-2012 11:31 PM               

Do you have the complete names, with the patronyms, that is?

In the case of Ignatov, first name and family name seem to reversed (as to the last name, first name sequence).

posted 10-14-2012 01:04 AM               

• Oleg Vladimirovich Blinov
  
• Nikolai Alexandrovich Chub
  
• Pyotr Valerevich Dubrov
  
• Andrei Valerevich Fedyaev
  
• Ignat Nikolayevich Ignatov
  
• Anna Yurevna Kikina
  
• Sergei Vladimirovich Korsakov
  
• Dimitri Alexandrovich Petelin

posted 06-17-2014 09:36 AM               

• Oleg Blinov
  
• Nikolai Chub
  
• Pyotr Dubrov
  
• Andrei Fedyaev
  
• Sergei Korsakov
  
• Dimitri Petelin

Above, from left to right: Oleg Blinov, Nikolai Chub, Sergei Korsakov, Yuri Lonchakov, Dimitri Petelin, Andrei Fedyaev and Pyotr Dubrov.

posted 06-17-2014 02:58 PM               

Russia appoints six new cosmonauts, sole female candidate not among them

Six new cosmonauts joined the ranks of Russia's space agency on Monday (June 16), two short of the eight candidates who started basic training for the job two years ago.

Among the two who did not make the cut was the group's only woman. By coincidence, the announcement came 51 years to day after Russia launched the world's first female cosmonaut into space. Since then, only two more Russian women have flown into orbit, with the fourth set to launch later this year.

An interagency commission including representatives from Russia's federal space agency Roscosmos, as well as the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City and from the Russian aerospace companies RSC Energia and Khrunichev approved the six men to be the 2012 class of test-cosmonauts. As a group, they will next begin training for spaceflights to become eligible for crew assignments.

posted 06-23-2014 09:39 PM               

"The commission carefully examined the outcomes of the training, analyzed everything and eventually made a majority decision against assigning the 'test cosmonaut' qualification to Kikina," [head of RKK Energia's Research Center Aleksandr Kaleri] said.

Kaleri would not say where exactly the young woman failed during training, but added "the discussion was very serious."

He also said that in 2012 the open enrolment was conducted with excess: the plan was to select five people; instead, eight were taken in. "They were warned that eliminations were likely," Kaleri said.

posted 06-26-2014 08:25 AM               

Cosmonaut Kikina: Roscosmos reinstates rejected female candidate

As it turns out, Anna Kikina will become a cosmonaut after all.

The only woman among Russia's most recent candidates, Kikina was originally excluded from joining the cosmonaut corps when the new class was announced on June 16.

That decision has now been overturned, a spokesman for Russia's space agency Roscosmos told the Interfax news service.

posted 06-27-2014 03:17 AM               

In any event, even the leading members of this group look unlikely to receive flight assignments for at least 2/3 years, with any mission being 1/2 years thereafter.

posted 06-27-2014 04:47 AM               

As such, she will be at least a year behind the men for potential flight assignments.

posted 06-27-2014 07:10 AM               

Women's status in Russia lags far behind that of the western world, even in the 21st century. That's evidenced by the fact that only 3 female cosmonauts have flown so far. Who knows what other machinations went on behind the scene; we'll likely never know.

posted 12-17-2014 11:52 PM               

"Upon completion of the general space training program and after a state certification test a panel of examiners made a decision to award the qualification 'test cosmonaut' to applicant Anna Kikina," the Roscosmos press-service said.

Now she is to take special and advanced training — a mandatory procedure all 'test cosmonauts' undergo before being assigned to a crew.

...in just several months Anna Kikina completed an advanced training course, which normally lasts one year, and acquired a number of special skills, including those crucial for survival after water landing.

posted 06-28-2020 10:26 AM               

"If nothing changes, if everything goes smoothly, because we have many if's, Anna will probably fly in the autumn of 2022, along with me," he said in an interview with Vecherny Urgant program on TV Channel One.