On March 7, 1960, the first cosmonaut team known as “1960 Air Force Group No. 1” was formed in the Soviet Union. The selection process began in August 1959. It was conducted under the guidance of doctors, engineers, designers, biologists, physiologists, and other experts of the Central Military Scientific Aviation Hospital.
Cosmonauts were selected from among candidates at the age of up to 35 years old, with a maximum height of 175 cm and weight of 75 kg. In total, the information on almost 3,500 fighter pilots was analyzed. In the end, only one-tenth of them were selected for a preliminary interview.
After interviews, checks, tests, and medical screening, 206 pilots advanced to the next stage. However, 72 of them changed their mind and decided not to become cosmonauts, and almost a hundred was rejected on medical grounds.
As a result, the team of potential space travelers included Ivan Anikeyev, Pavel Belyayev, Valentin Bondarenko, Valery Bykovsky, Valentin Varlamov, Boris Volynov, Yuri Gagarin, Viktor Gorbatko, Dmitry Zaikin, Anatoly Kartashov, Vladimir Komarov, Alexei Leonov, Grigory Nelyubov, Andriyan Nikolayev, Pavel Popovich, Mars Rafikov, Gherman Titov, Valentin Filatyev, Yevgeny Khrunov, and Georgy Shonin. Valentina Tereshkova joined the team later — on March 12, 1962.
The cosmonauts trained at one of the branches of the Flight Research Institute, in laboratory No. 47. The Vostok 3A spacecraft model was developed there. The process was organized by Mark Gallay, a famous test pilot and a Hero of the Soviet Union.
After studying the personal records, references, and exam results, the admission committee wrote down the following,
Cosmonauts were selected from among candidates at the age of up to 35 years old, with a maximum height of 175 cm and weight of 75 kg. In total, the information on almost 3,500 fighter pilots was analyzed. In the end, only one-tenth of them were selected for a preliminary interview.
After interviews, checks, tests, and medical screening, 206 pilots advanced to the next stage. However, 72 of them changed their mind and decided not to become cosmonauts, and almost a hundred was rejected on medical grounds.
As a result, the team of potential space travelers included Ivan Anikeyev, Pavel Belyayev, Valentin Bondarenko, Valery Bykovsky, Valentin Varlamov, Boris Volynov, Yuri Gagarin, Viktor Gorbatko, Dmitry Zaikin, Anatoly Kartashov, Vladimir Komarov, Alexei Leonov, Grigory Nelyubov, Andriyan Nikolayev, Pavel Popovich, Mars Rafikov, Gherman Titov, Valentin Filatyev, Yevgeny Khrunov, and Georgy Shonin. Valentina Tereshkova joined the team later — on March 12, 1962.
The cosmonauts trained at one of the branches of the Flight Research Institute, in laboratory No. 47. The Vostok 3A spacecraft model was developed there. The process was organized by Mark Gallay, a famous test pilot and a Hero of the Soviet Union.
After studying the personal records, references, and exam results, the admission committee wrote down the following,
