The Star City: a university for cosmonauts

“How to become a cosmonaut?” – this request is very popular in Google search site. But still, you can hardly find a decent answer in the Internet space. During the tour to the Star City where Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) is located, you will learn how to become a cosmonaut and join the space program!

Now the only country that delivers space crews to the International Space station (ISS) is Russia, Cosmonauts and astronauts should go through a special training course in GCTC, located 25 kilometers from Moscow. The cosmonaut (astronaut) training is a very long and complicated process. It usually takes from 8 to 10 years to raise a fully educated and skilled specialist which is able to deal with space equipment and go to the Earth orbit. A decade ago only military pilot, medic or space engineer could apply a request for the space program. Now the requirement are not that strict, and almost everyone with a higher education connected with engineering, aviation and medicine can form an apply and forward it to the GCTC.

During the tour you will see actual training equipment, simulators and drill programs. The simulators in the GCTC are all unique: they are in fact full scale space vessels that are now floating to around the Earth attached to the ISS. Simulators and an equipment compared to the real one is identical. It can simulate both the “routine” flying and docking process and all kinds of emergency situation: wobbling, hardware malfunctions, connection problems, and even the fire!

If you are very much into a space field and you plan to travel via Russia, this trip is a “100% must” thing that you should do while you are in Moscow. To book a tour please send us a request to our email: jet@tour-space.com, containing a date of your desired tour and an amount of attenders. Please remember that you should form your request at leat 45 days before the tour date!

Star City tour could be only an introducing step into the cosmonautics field. Don’t miss our special tours and adventures, like Real Cosmonaut Training, Zero G Gravity flight and a Trip to Baikonur cosmodrome!

Visiting an incredible manned spacecraft launch

On the 13^th of September at 3:25 PM a slender shining rocket with a fancy spire on the top soared up in the night sky. Its mighty engines digested tons of fuels in just few dozen seconds, leaving a colorful trail behind the rocket. The trail was so bright that it lighted up an area kilometers far from the launching pad. It lasted only for several seconds while the rocket was still visible high in the sky. A few moments later the giant rocket turned into a small spark and within a couple of minutes one could not distinguish it from plentiful stars studding the Kazakhstan sky. The humanity became one more step closer to the space age.

This was the tiniest episode of the whole Baikonur trip that is arranged by our company. Baikonur is by today the biggest spaceport located in the northwest of Kazakhstan – ex-Soviet republic declared it independence in 1990. It was built amidst the vast and plain prairie spread out in the northern Kazakhstan by the beginning of May 1957. The spaceport was built within 9 months.

Now the Baikonur spaceport is also an only place from where international astronauts and Russian cosmonauts reach the International Space Station. But is not only because of this Baikonur became so popular: tourists all over the world gather there to see manned spaceship launches. Baikonur spaceport (cosmodrome in Russian) is the place in the world where ordinary tourists can see manned and cargo spaceship launch, see real launching pads, visit once secret bunkers and control rooms, learn a lot of information about the space exploration.

Even if you are not new to the cosmonautics field, during our tour you will learn a lot of unique facts and interesting stories. For example, you will learn that “Orlan” spacesuit as well as spaceship’s armchairs are crafted individually for every cosmonaut and astronaut. You will see a transportation and verticalization of the manned Souyz rocket. You will be able to take photos and even have a brief talk with a nowadays heroes – reserve space crew for the ISS!

The next launch is scheduled on 17^th of December – hurry up and contact us to get places within a group!