MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. Prospective cosmonaut Anastasiya Burchuladze could embark on her first space mission aboard Russia’s new orbital station, Roscosmos CEO Yury Borisov revealed.

"We <...> opened enrollment for the cosmonaut squad and welcomed new candidates. The competition was intense, with about 300 applicants, 40% of whom were young women. It’s particularly gratifying that an employee of the Lavochkin Association, Anastasiya Burchuladze, was selected for the cosmonaut squad. It’s possible we’ll prepare her specifically for a mission on the Russian Orbital Station," Borisov told the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

The fourth open recruitment for Roscosmos’ cosmonaut squad took place between July 10 and December 20, 2023. The Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center evaluated 296 applications, including 80 from women. Of these, 72 applications came from military personnel, while 51 were submitted by specialists from the rocket and space industry.

Four candidates were selected for the squad: Elchin Vakhidov, Vladimir Vorozhko, Alexander Zherebtsov, and Anastasiya Burchuladze. They began a two-year training program at the Gagarin Center in September.