Ministry Recruits Korean Astronauts to Ride on Russian Spaceship
(Source: South Korean Government Information Agency; issued Oct. 18, 2004)
The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) announced on October 17 a plan to recruit two astronauts who will accompany a Russian spaceship for a 10-day space research tour in 2007.
For the recruitment, the ministry will take four-stage screening procedures, the first-stage being the selection of a group of 200 candidates through an “on-paper” screening process.
Out of the 200, the ministry will initially select 30 winners, and then 10, through various tests taken for two months during the second-stage screening process. The winners will compete for the five slots reserved for the third-round.
Five successful candidates who pass the third round will be sent to Russia for further screening and tests for the two finalists who will get to ride along Russian astronauts on the Russian spacecraft Soyuz.
Those interested are invited to apply through the Internet by January 2005. Academic records, self-introductory statements, English evaluation test-scores, and physical-status documents must be filed with resumes. Throughout screening sessions, candidates will be strenuously tested on their knowledge about science, physical and mental fitness for space tasks, as well as English proficiency.
The screening procedures are set to conclude by May 2005. The two finalists will start taking training from July 2005 through March 2007 at the Gagarin Russian State Center of Cosmonaut Training. After the training, the two Korean astronauts will ride Soyuz on a space mission and travel to the Russian service module at the international space station for a 10-day research session.
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