PYATIGORSK, August 20. /TASS/. The regional heads of the North Caucasian Federal District supported the idea to create a cosmonaut training base there, Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin told journalists on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Mashuk forum.
On Tuesday, Rogozin stated that the state corporation is studying the possibility of creating a cosmonaut training center in a region of the North Caucasian Federal District.
"I spent two days [in the North Caucasus]: I arrived on Saturday evening and closely examined all these sites at the invitation of the plenipotentiary presidential representative in the North Caucasian Federal District. The heads of the republics met with me, and we agreed that we will send a delegation here soon — the management of the Gagarin Research & Test Cosmonaut Training Center. And they will study these routes more thoroughly to find a place for creating a mountain training base, and a place where training to land on water may be carried out — there are interesting lakes here," Rogozin said.
He specified that other aspects in North Caucasus will be useful for the cosmonaut training center as well. The climate and relief created the necessary difference in pressure, there are opportunities for alpine climbing, recreational resources, including mineral waters and thermal sources, fresh high-quality products and other.
"All the heads supported our idea to create the cosmonaut rehabilitation and training center. <…> All of them [the heads of the North Caucasian regions] strongly wish to do everything possible to develop the health and recreational zone under the common design as soon as possible. I think that it’s a great advantage, and that’s down the road," Rogozin added.