Zvyozdny gorodok, Space training settlement in Moscow Oblast, Russia
Zvyozdny gorodok is a work settlement near Moscow that hosts the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. The facility contains training halls, simulators, pools, and specialized equipment where mission crews prepare for spaceflight.
The settlement was founded in the 1960s to support Soviet cosmonaut training and operated under military control for decades. In 2008, the facility transitioned to civilian management under Russia's Roscosmos space agency.
The settlement's name references the Soviet space program and shapes daily life for residents connected to cosmonaut training. Most people who live and work here are involved in preparing crews for their journeys beyond Earth.
The settlement requires special permits and advance registration for visitors, as it maintains restricted access to the training complex. Those interested in visiting should contact official channels well before planning a trip.
The training facility features neutral buoyancy pools where cosmonauts spend hours underwater to simulate weightlessness during their preparation. These underwater training sessions have become an essential part of how space crews ready themselves for missions.
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