Space Odyssey at the National Centre RUSSIA: experts to explain what happens beyond Earth

A series of open lectures as part of the "Space Odyssey" project will launch at the National Centre RUSSIA on 12 April, Cosmonautics Day. The first session will focus on the profession of a cosmonaut — training, requirements, challenges and prospects. In total, guests will attend three lectures exploring the past, present and future of space exploration.

Speakers at the 12 April event will include a trusted ISS psychologist and former head of the Laboratory for Medical and Psychological Training of Cosmonauts at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, Dmitry Aterley, and pilot-cosmonaut, Hero of Russia and Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Sergei Revin. They will speak about how Yuri Gagarin, Gherman Titov and other members of the "first six" were trained. They will also describe the daily life of the first cosmonauts — from centrifuge training to food in tubes — and what helped them cope with the fear of the unknown.

Guests will also learn what the profession of a cosmonaut looks like today: the requirements for candidates, how training is conducted and how the body adapts. The discussion will explore why excellent health accounts for only around 30% of success, while the rest depends on intellectual ability, psychological resilience and the capacity to work in confined spaces. Participants will find out how the selection process is organised, what tests and examinations candidates undergo, and how the role of humans in space is evolving amid new projects — from orbital stations to lunar programmes and space tourism. The event will conclude with a Q&A session with the speakers. Registration for the event in Moscow is open on the website of the National Centre RUSSIA.

Ahead of Cosmonautics Day, "Space Odyssey" will also take place at the National Centre RUSSIA branch in Yugra. The event is scheduled for 9 April and will feature a meeting with Russian test cosmonaut and expert in space research at Roscosmos, Andrei Babkin. The session will focus on the profession of a cosmonaut and current challenges in the sector. The event will conclude with an autograph session and a giveaway of space food sets.