Hero of Russia Oleg Kononenko, head of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center and commander of the Roscosmos cosmonaut detachment, has identified endurance, composure and teamwork as the most vital qualities for a cosmonaut.
Speaking to Russian news agency TASS, Kononenko said space does not forgive self-confidence, adding that the conclusion of every space mission is written on Earth in the ocean, steppe or taiga. He noted that combining endurance, cool-headedness and team spirit is what makes a cosmonaut a true professional.
Kononenko stated that cosmonauts are specifically trained to function in conditions of uncertainty and to handle any potential turn of events. He highlighted that this readiness is not an inborn quality, but the direct result of grueling physical training, classroom instruction, technical discussions and thorough debriefings.
Training facility and space station future
The Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, located in Star City near Moscow, serves as the main facility for selecting and training cosmonauts. Named in honor of Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space, the institution operates under Roscosmos, Russia's state corporation responsible for space exploration and satellite programs.
Beyond crew preparation, Kononenko recently outlined major operational plans involving international orbital infrastructure. In August, he reported that NASA and Roscosmos were actively discussing how to divide responsibility for the planned deorbiting of the International Space Station from low Earth orbit.
In July, Kononenko also said that extending operations aboard the International Space Station until 2030 would give Russia an important time buffer. He explained that this operational extension is necessary for a smooth transition toward operating the prospective Russian Orbital Station.
The International Space Station is a collaborative microgravity laboratory in low Earth orbit that has been continuously inhabited for over two decades. Russia intends to build the Russian Orbital Station as a standalone successor facility to maintain its human spaceflight capabilities after the international station completes its mission lifecycle.
