GCTC DEVELOPMENT STAGES

YU. GAGARIN COSMONAUT TRAINING CENTER DEVELOPMENT STAGES

In the middle of the twentieth century a powerful scientific and technical potential was established in our country, which made it possible both theoretically and practically, to ensure space manned flight to space. The national government made up its mind to execute the first manned flight to space in 1960.

Under the decision of the government the Air Force commander in chief ordered on January 11, 1960 to establish CTC (Cosmonaut Training Center) that has been called Yu. A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center since 1968 after the first earth’s cosmonaut.

In 1969 the GCTC was reformed into Yu.A.Gagarin Scientific and Research Center for Cosmonaut Training.

In 1995 in order to increase efficiency of utilizing scientific and technical potential of Russian Federation in the field of manned space flights and cosmonaut training the Cosmonaut Training Center and Air Force test and training regiment were merged and reformed into Yu.A.Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC).

For the last years GCTC has created up-to-date scientific, research, lab-training and flight base, gained skilled experts staff, experienced science-agreed cosmonaut training system.

For many years of the development a truly unique base of person training for space flight has been created. Unlike the training of aviation experts, for example, flight personnel, the trainers and simulators are the only devices available to train pilot-cosmonauts on the Earth because training flights in the ground conditions are not possible in their essence.