"I managed to print living tissues in zero gravity"
Oleg Kononenko, director of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, told Izvestia in an exclusive interview how cosmonauts will grow "patches" for organs during long-term flights. He also explained why teledroids will be needed on the Russian orbital station, and centaur robots on the Moon, how the CPC is preparing to operate a promising manned spacecraft, and which worlds new astronauts will explore.
"Upon arrival, the crew immediately gets to work"
— Oleg Dmitrievich, you have spent more time in space than anyone else, having made five expeditions to the ISS in 16 years. What changes have occurred in the work of the astronauts and the station during this time?
— It would seem that with the growth of my professional experience and the number of flights, training should be simplified. In practice, it's exactly the opposite — the number of tests and exams is only increasing. This happens because the technique becomes more complicated. In particular, new modules have appeared on the Russian segment of the ISS, onboard systems have become more high-tech, and jobs for scientific equipment have been added outside the station. Therefore, the program of spacewalks has become more intense, and the number of ground training sessions, for example, in the hydro laboratory has increased significantly.
However, the most noticeable change that has occurred over the past few years is the speed of delivery to orbit. Previously, the flight to the ISS took two days, now it takes only three hours. And, arriving, the crew immediately gets to work. Therefore, the first day became physically very difficult: the body has not yet adapted, but it is already necessary to perform certain operations and experiments.
— What is a modern cosmonaut? What qualities does he have?
— First of all, he is a versatile specialist — an engineer, a scientist and, taking into account our active participation in international programs, a diplomat in one person. He must have physical and mental health, high learning ability, ability to concentrate, deep engineering and technical knowledge, IT literacy and fluency in English are required.
Also, in order to work in outer space, in addition to endurance, it requires composure and the ability to wield a tool. The modern cosmonaut is the face of our industry. Therefore, communication skills are very important for us — the ability to communicate with young people, schoolchildren, students, and speak to a wide audience. Of the personal qualities, I would single out responsibility, leadership, curiosity and high motivation.
"Today, astronauts are active participants in the scientific process"
— An astronaut is not only a subject, but also an object of research. How have approaches to studying the human body in space changed?
— They have changed dramatically. Previously, the main focus was on collecting data and stating facts. For example, it was recorded how much calcium the body loses per day, how blood pressure and some blood parameters change. Now the focus has shifted to identifying and studying the reasons why certain processes occur in the body of astronauts under the influence of weightlessness and how a person adapts to such an environment.
Previously, protection from the negative effects of weightlessness was limited to general recommendations: physical education and exercise suits. Now scientists are trying to figure out what is happening in the astronaut's body at the molecular, cellular and even genetic levels. Specialists study metabolism, the effectiveness of drug therapy for various diseases, and much more. Research has become more targeted and proactive.
There have also been changes in the attitude towards the cosmonaut. Previously, we were, to a greater extent, the object of study. Today, astronauts are active participants in the scientific process. We not only perform experiments, but also give feedback and share our subjective feelings. This information allows scientists to build hypotheses and correct them. At the same time, we are interested "test subjects". After all, the success of future long-term expeditions and deep space exploration depends on the results of research, in addition to our health.
— Which space flights would you be interested in participating in? Are you interested in visiting the Russian Space Station (ROS)?
— Absolutely. I am an active cosmonaut and I am preparing for my next flight to the ISS. I would also like to participate in the deployment and work on the new Russian space station. My accumulated experience of orbital flights is a resource that can be useful for solving new complex tasks. Therefore, GROWTH is the number one goal.
"With modern security requirements, Gagarin's feat would have been impossible"
— In 2024, Polaris Dawn took place, a private mission to polar orbit with a human spacewalk. Experts noted the high risk of this flight. Do you agree with the estimates?
— Any flight, especially one involving new tasks, always carries a share of additional risk. And the main thing here is that the Polaris Dawn mission was carried out entirely by an "unprofessional crew." Despite the intensive training that all the participants in the flight certainly went through, they did not have sufficient experience in fending off emergency situations and the "muscle memory" that professional astronauts have been developing for years. Therefore, the probability of error in such flights is statistically higher. Therefore, the danger is greater.
At the same time, it should be understood that with modern security requirements, Gagarin's feat would have been impossible. After all, then the probability of success was estimated 50-50. It is impossible to imagine such a thing in professional cosmonautics now. However, in private life, when people themselves take responsibility for life and health, this is acceptable.
— What space tourism programs are being developed at the CPC?
— The CPC is responsible for the training of professional astronauts. We do not develop travel programs as a commercial product, but we provide training for tourists when such a decision is made at the state corporation level. Private companies should be involved in the development of space tourism.
In connection with this topic, by the way, it is worth adding that within the framework of Space Week, which runs from April 6 to 12, many activities took place that showed what space technologies surround us in everyday life. Astronauts will take part in them.
"Bioprinting in the future will allow to grow "patches" for organs"
— Which scientific programs in orbit do you consider the most important?
— I would single out experiments that work for our common goal — interplanetary flights. For example, an experiment with a 3D bioprinter. I would like to note that I was lucky enough to become the first cosmonaut to perform this experiment in orbit. I managed to print living tissues in zero gravity. In the future, bioprinting will make it possible to grow "patches" for organs or organs themselves on long flights when it will not be possible to receive help from the Ground. The next step is 4D bioprinting, when printed objects change shape under external influence. Having mastered these technologies, it is possible, for example, to send compact packages into space, which themselves unfold into the desired design.
Of great interest to me is the Quail experiment, which is an observation of the development of bird embryos in space. The study will help to understand whether life can originate and exist far from our planet. There is also a beautiful "Plasma Crystal" experiment, during which experts study how ordered structures — perfect crystals - are formed in zero gravity. Such experiments help to understand the physics of the universe and obtain new materials.
At the same time, biotechnological experiments devoted to studying the behavior of microorganisms in space are important. This includes how the virulence of microbes and viruses changes. Here we are once again exploring ourselves as a biological species that will embark on a deep space journey.
— If you had the opportunity to conduct your own experiment, what would you suggest?
— He would proceed from my most cherished desire — an interplanetary flight with landing on another planet. It is important to conduct experiments, but it is much more interesting to really feel the ground of another celestial body under your feet. And, of course, I would like to be among those who will bring such trips closer to reality.
"The moon is not an end in itself, but a testing ground for developing technologies for deep space exploration"
— What are the goals and challenges facing the Russian manned space program?
— The strategic goal is to ensure our independent and guaranteed access to space. Therefore, after the completion of the ISS program, we should have our own permanent station. It needs to be created as a national laboratory and a base for training for long-range flights.
Because the next step is the moon. But the Moon is not an end in itself, but a testing ground for developing technologies for deep space exploration. Based on this, the priority tasks for the CPC are the modernization of the existing ground infrastructure and the creation of new complex simulators, stands, and a hydrolaboratory necessary for practicing actions in lunar gravity.
At the same time, cosmonautics is a balance between a dream and reality. And my task, as the head of the CPC, is to ensure this balance. On the one hand, it is necessary to set ambitious goals, and on the other, to train physically and psychologically stable professionals who implement them.
It is also important to maintain international cooperation. We are open to partnership based on equality, complementarity of technologies and a clear division of responsibilities. It is possible to create an international training center for partners on the basis of the CPC. This will strengthen our leadership position and allow us to work with the crews of other national space stations in the future.
— Russia is creating a promising transport ship. How are the CPC preparing for its operation?
— At this stage, the PTK is in the stage of ground-based experimental testing. The CPC is preparing a comprehensive simulator for the new ship, and specialists are studying the preliminary on-board documentation.
"Fantastic flights by today's standards can become a reality for the guys from the new set"
— A new set of astronauts was recently announced. What programs are these people trained for?
— As I have already said, we need not just courageous people in orbit, but specialists with deep engineering knowledge, scientific training and the ability to control complex equipment. The main goal of the current open enrollment is the construction and operation of the Russian Orbital Station. This is a chance for those who want and are ready to write history.
In addition, fantastic flights by today's standards can become a reality for the guys from the new set. Perhaps they will become participants in deep space expeditions. We'll wait and see!
— Tell us about the robots that will work for the Russian Federation.
— There are two basic directions here. The first is experiments with the Marfa robot. Astronauts, using a virtual reality helmet and a control device, control the actions of the robot. The purpose of these studies is to collect data on how weightlessness and other flight factors affect a person's ability to remotely control such equipment.
The second area is working with the Teledroid robot. Its counterpart, by the way, will soon go to the ISS, and the CPC is working out programs for typical operations that astronauts will perform in orbit, controlling the Teledroid. Specialists are also working on the "lunar direction": prototypes of centaur robots are being tested - a torso on a wheeled platform. Their tasks include providing assistance in building bases and collecting soil.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
