Selection and training

Selection and training represent two means of ensuring flight crew members are qualified and prepared to perform safely and effectively in space. The first part of the chapter looks at astronaut selection beginning with the evolutionary changes in the US and Russian programs. A discussion of the critical skills and selection best practices augments the description of NASA basic requirements. In addition, commercial astronaut and passenger medical criteria for selection are described. The training part of the chapter begins with a description of typical training phases and sequences followed by the discussion of specific types of training that addresses nominal, off-nominal, contingency, and emergency conditions. Next, training facilities are described as well as the use of orbital and suborbital spaceflight simulators. Final sections focus on the training of cosmonauts in Russia and commercial human spaceflight training.