Space Activities
VESTIBULAR STABILITY TRAINING
To compensate for the undesirable
effects of weightlessness on the
human body, cosmonauts undergo
special training. If you wish, you can
become familiar with the special
techniques and equipment and test
your vestibular system.
ROTATION IN THE CENTRIFUGE
To prepare the cosmonauts for the anticipated
G-loads, the GCTC uses two special
Centrifuges — TsF-7 and TsF-18. Cosmonauts
are trained to endure a 5G load while sitting
upright and an 8G load while lying fl at. They
are also trained to operate the spacecraft in a
manual mode during descent.
For beginners, we offer the possibility to
experience a 3-minute rotation in a centrifuge
with a load of up to 3G. For those who wish
to test their limits after a successful fi rst
session, it is possible to go further and
practice higher G-loads, or practice launch
and descent training, just like cosmonauts
SPACE LUNCH
Food for cosmonauts has the highest quality, besides all
the cosmonauts admit that it is really tasty and diverse. For
the cosmonauts to be able to restore freeze-dried food and
to heat canned foot, “the space kitchen” was designed. Its
copy you can see in the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.
You will cook real “space food” and then you will eat it.
If you are interested mostly in the food itself, we offer simply
tasting it. You will study the space menu and will have the
chance to taste more than 20 space dishes. You will not be
left hungry! You can hardly imagine a surprise more creative
and memorable than the invitation to such a dinner. It may
be a romantic date or a gift for your friend’s birthday
HYDROLAB
Hydrolab is a simulator that provides conditions that
best approximate those experienced in orbit. It is
a huge water-pool with a full-scale mock-up of the
Russian segment of the International Space Station.
Diving is performed in the “Orlan” space suit, the
task is to work on the exterior surface of the ISS,
practicing the entire timeline of a task that lasts 5 to
7 hours
THE SOUYZ SPACECRAFT FLIGHT
SOYUZ spacecraft simulators create a realistic impression of a space flight, starting with crew actions on the launch pad, continuing with orbital maneuvers, docking and undocking with the International
Space Station.The training may be performed in the company of an instructor only or together with your friends (there are three seats in the cabin).
SOYUZ complex simulator includes:
1.DON SOYUZ simulator which is designed to train crews for piloting
Soyuz-TMA spacecraft at all flight stages. It is a close-to-real copy of
the SOYUZ spacecraft
2.SOYUZ TDK simulator which is a special purpose simulator aimed
at acquiring and practicing manual modes of rendezvous, approach,
docking and undocking from International Space Station.
You may choose training only on one simulator or, if you want to get
a clearer idea of operating the SOYUZ spacecraft, on both of them.
To get more vivid impressions you can wear Sokol space suit while
training
The international Space Station is, without exaggeration, one
of the most ambitious projects of humanity. Its value today
is about $200 billion. In the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training
Centre there is a full-scale mock-up of the Russian segment
of the ISS. On this simulator cosmonauts train their skills of
operating the ISS control systems, conducting experiments
and working in emergency situations.
While staying in the full-scale model of the Russian segment
of the ISS, you will examine the structure of the station in
general, operate some of its systems and, if desired, will save
the station from imminent destruction due to collision with
meteorites or space junk. You will feel as though you had a
real journey on board the ISS
ZERO GRAVITY FLIGHT
One more way to experience weightlessness is a zero
gravity flight.The Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre has several
IL-76MDK aircraft; a unique design that is specifically
engineered to perform parabolic flights with negative and near-zero gravity. It is on these aircrafts where cosmonauts first experience the sensations that await them in the Earth orbit. Typically, the flight lasts 1.5-2
hours. During one
fl ight the aircraft can perform up to 10
modes of operation that simulate conditions under various
types of gravity. In each of these operating modes, the
plane, moving on a parabolic trajectory (Kepler curve),
provides: • 25-30 seconds of zero gravity experience; • a few seconds of “lunar gravity”, which is signi
fi cantly
less than gravity on the Earth; • a few seconds of acceleration loads that are2.5-3 time
s
higher than the Earth’s gravity, just slightly less than
gravity on Neptune
GLIDER FLIGHT
Glider is the most aerodynamically perfect aircraft,
bringing together a long history of aviation and
modern technologies.
We arrange introductory flights and train you to fly
a glider.
A glider flight may be arranged almost in any part
of the Earth: in Moscow region or somewhere else
in Russia, in the French Alps together with a world famous glider pilot. We can also arrange your participation in the glider competitions where you
will be placed in one of the gliders and will have
the opportunity to witness the race from inside