Belarusian cosmonaut to start training for flight to ISS in February

MINSK, 24 January (BelTA) – The training of the Belarusian cosmonaut for a flight to the International Space Station (ISS) will begin in February, BelTA learned from Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Vladimir Gusakov.

Vladimir Gusakov said: “A very prestigious, bright project in the area of manned cosmonautics is being implemented now. We've arranged a major contest and about 2,000 applicants turned up. We selected six women candidates for the cosmic flight. They need good health since resilience and readiness to handle most complicated conditions are required. The candidates went through a medical exam in Belarus and another one in Russia. But, of course, only one of them will fly. This is why they are going through further testing and selection. The training of our cosmonaut for the cosmic flight will begin at some point in February. If nothing changes, the flight to the ISS will take place in autumn.”

The official noted that the forthcoming cosmic flight reaffirms Belarus' image as a space power with high science standards.

BelTA reported earlier that six candidates have been selected for the first manned cosmic flight in the sovereign history of Belarus. Those are Belavia stewardesses Marina Vasilevskaya and Viktoriya Fidrus, a forensic expert from Brest Oblast Darya Mikhnyuk, an obstetrician-gynecologist from Baranovichi Olga Gerasimova, a pediatric surgeon from the National Center for Pediatric Surgery Anastasiya Lenkova, and a junior research scientist from the Institute of Physical Organic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Olga Mastitskaya.