Putin appoints all-male cosmonauts for Spaceflight Training

The six newly-appointed members of Russia's cosmonaut corps pose with the chief of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City. 

From left to right: Oleg Blinov, Nikolai Chub, Sergei Korsakov, Yuri Lonchakov, Dimitri Petelin, Andrei Fedyaev, Pyotr Dubrov.

Credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

Six new cosmonauts joined the ranks of Russia's space agency on Monday (June 16), two short of the eight candidates who started basic training for the job two years ago.

Among the two who did not make the cut was the group's only woman. By coincidence, the announcement came 51 years to day after Russia launched the world's first female cosmonaut into space.

Since then, only two more Russian women have flown into orbit, with the fourth set to launch later this year.

An interagency commission including representatives from Russia's federal space agency Roscosmos, as well as the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City and from the Russian aerospace companies RSC Energia and Khrunichev approved the six men to be the 2012 class of test-cosmonauts.

As a group, they will next begin training for spaceflights to become eligible for crew assignments.

"I congratulate your successfully passing the cosmonaut training course and passing the state [final] exam," former cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov, the chief of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, told the graduates.

The six include Oleg Blinov, Nikolai Chub, Pyotr Dubrov, Andrei Fedyaev, Sergei Korsakov and Dimitri Petelin. The group ranges in age from 30 to 36.

They're all mechanical or software engineers, with the exception of Fedyaev, who is a military pilot.

Five of the cosmonauts hail from Russia. Petelin was born in Kustanai, Kazakhstan, where landing ceremonies have been held for crews returning from the International Space Station.

Among the two candidates who did not qualify was Ignat Ignatov, a 32 year old engineer who had previously worked for eight years as a neutral buoyancy spacewalk instructor at the cosmonaut training center.

In April, it was reported that Ignatov had failed a medical exam and as such, was considered unfit for further training.

Anna Kikina is seen taking part in water survival training as one of the eight cosmonaut candidates selected in 2012. 

In June 2014, Kikina was not among the group’s six members to advance to spaceflight training.

Credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center

Anna Kikina, 29, was also absent from the graduation for reasons that were not stated.

An engineer and economist, she was working at a radio station in Siberia at the time of her selection for basic training.

Had she qualified to continue her training, Kikina stood the chance to join Valentina Tereshkova, Svetlana Savitskaya and Yelena Kondakova as among the few Russian woman to fly in space.

Yelena Serova, who was selected in 2006, is scheduled to launch on her first mission in September.

Serova's flight to the International Space Station will make her only the 58th women in history to leave the Earth out of the more than 500 worldwide space explorers.

Roscosmos began recruiting for this cosmonaut class in January 2012, opening the process to the general Russian public for the first time in the country's history.

Out of the total of 304 applications received, 51 were deemed eligible from which the eight were selected.

The addition of the six new cosmonauts on Monday brings the Russian corps to a total of 46 active members.

Roscosmos Ostapenko calls for end to Foreign communication satellites

Head of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) Oleg Ostapenko has sent a letter to Vice Premier Dmitry Rogozin suggesting giving up the practice of ordering civilian communication and broadcasting satellites abroad, Kommersant daily reported on Friday.

The new head of Roscosmos regards it as a form of covert subsidizing of foreign manufacturers.

As a result Europe's aerospace & defence corporation, EADS may lose part of Russian contracts and Information Satellite Systems (ISS) OJSC may become the sole supplier of civilian communication satellites, the newspaper concludes.

In this context the Roscosmos and the Federal Communication Agency will consider issues of developing delivery vehicles and guarantees of launching Express-AMU2, Express-AMU3 and Express-AMU4 satellites as they will be compiling the Federal Space Program for 2016-2025 "considering the placement of orders for the delivery of the said satellites from a sole supplier - ISS OJSC.

"However, Roscosmos does not conceal the fact that while fulfilling civilian orders ISS is forced to attract "foreign contactors."

Thus, a modification of Express-A series was developed together with Alcatel Space, while two direct broadcasting satellites Express-AT1 and Express-AT2 are being developed in partnership with the French division of Thales Alenia Space.

The newspaper adds that it follows from Ostapenko's letter that ISS has difficulties with the fulfillment of current orders.

Thus, Express-AM8 satellite can be launched in August 2014 the earliest "given delays in the delivery and repairs of onboard equipment," the letter says.

Vladimir Putin supports Russian Space Program

Obama concedes to Putin's demands for reduced anti-missile plan

Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin praised President Obama Friday for canceling a plan for an antiballistic missile system in Eastern Europe that Russia had deemed a threat, suggesting that the move would lead to improved relations between their countries.

“I very much hope that this correct and brave decision will be followed by others,” Mr. Putin said. So look out for more pressure and more demands from the East.

The Obama decision on Thursday replaced the Bush administration antimissile plan with a reconfigured system focused on short- and medium-range missiles.

Mr. Putin and other Russian officials who spoke to reporters on Friday did not say whether Russia would respond with concessions to the United States, particularly on the issue of Iran’s nuclear program and its overall military capabilities.

The Obama administration has indicated that it believes Iran has made significant strides in recent months in developing a nuclear weapon, but Russia, which has veto power in the United Nations Security Council, has resisted increasing sanctions against Iran.

The Russian officials did indicate that the Kremlin would withdraw its threat to base short-range missiles on Russia’s western border, in Kaliningrad.

Also on Friday, in another sign of warming in relations, NATO called for new cooperation between the alliance and Moscow, including possible coordination between antimissile systems.