Russia Trains Cosmonauts for Mars Missions

Pilots, doctors, geologists, biologists and scientists will be required for Mars missions
Major-General Vasily Tsybliyev, the first deputy head of the Cosmonaut Training Center said on June 16 that when construction of the International Space Station was over space pilots for missions to Mars would be enlisted to the cosmonaut group. The information was reported by the RIA Novosti news agency.

According to Vasily Tsybliyev, pilots, doctors, geologists, biologists and scientists will be required for Mars missions. The training program of the specialists will be aimed at long flights with a considerable number of scientific researches. Only healthy people with adequate intellectual level of training will suit for such missions.

Vasily Tsybliyev says that selection of cosmonauts in Russia is now based upon belonging of specialists to special sectors: the Air Force, enterprises related to space technique production or institutions connected with the Rosaviakosmos Aviation and Space Agency.

The situation is different in the USA, the major-general says. There are particular requirements applied to intellectual and physical parameters of candidates wishing to participate in space flights there. Anyone who wants to devote the life to space missions may apply for competitive selection.

Vasily Tsybliyev thinks that selection of candidates to Mars missions will be done according to a similar principle. When asked about the requirements concerning height of cosmonauts, the major-general said that cosmonauts of about 190 centimeters will be allowed to board Soyuz TMA, the new Russian vessel that now delivers people to the International Space Station.

NEWSru.com