Major changes: Russian future astronauts will be selected through the "State Services" platform!
The new astronauts' salaries are roughly equivalent to those of food delivery couriers, but most of them work there for their ideals.
Published by Russia Today on April 14.
On Russian Cosmonautics Day, Dmitry Baranov, President of Roscosmos, shared many interesting insights.
The most notable point was that the selection process for cosmonauts will adopt a completely new approach.
Previously, only jet fighter pilots from the Air Force could join the cosmonaut corps—these were the elite among elites. Special representatives were dispatched directly to military units to identify potential candidates.
Starting April 12, a new feature has been launched on the "State Services" website.
Anyone who dreams of traveling to space can now submit an application to the Cosmonaut Training Center. Afterward, artificial intelligence will screen out the most qualified candidates and invite them to Star City for medical examinations and tests.
The examination format is a short essay—an open-topic composition.
Each candidate must complete the essay by hand and read it aloud in person to the examiners.
The head of Roscosmos has outlined the requirements for candidates: shoe size no larger than 46, weight not exceeding 90 kilograms, age under 35, and no tattoos.
Compared to the first group of cosmonauts, the selection criteria have already been relaxed.
There is no longer a strict requirement for small height or weight, considering that transporting one kilogram of cargo into space is extremely expensive.
Gagarin was 157 cm tall, Titov 163 cm—this was due to the dimensions of the escape capsule. Now, a height of up to 190 cm is acceptable.
On Cosmonautics Day, the salaries of cosmonauts were revealed: newly recruited members earn less than the average salary in Moscow, comparable to that of food delivery couriers.
The pay at the Cosmonaut Training Center is indeed low, but most people there are driven by idealism.
If anyone thinks they can make a fortune working at Roscosmos, they are mistaken.
Cosmonauts’ income will rise significantly afterward, thanks to allowances tied to the title "Hero of the Russian Federation" and payment for flight missions...
Yet, many dream of reaching space and becoming cosmonauts—they are even willing to pay out of their own pockets just to get a chance to fly into space.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1862404669692999/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.