The Russian space industry is reaching a new level of interaction with potential heroes of orbit: the State Corporation Roscosmos has officially announced the start of astronaut corps selection through the Gosuslugi portal. This historic event, timed to coincide with Cosmonautics Day, will last until June 30, offering every citizen of the Russian Federation a unique chance to declare their ambitions in a digital format. If previously the path to the stars began exclusively with paper envelopes and postal mail, today stable internet and compliance with strict criteria are enough, among which aesthetics and the integrity of the skin have taken a special place.
Digital Start and Basic Candidate Parameters
Simplifying the document submission process does not mean lowering the bar for requirements. On the contrary, Roscosmos is looking for “all-around soldiers” of science. Russians under 35 years of age can apply for a place on the spacecraft. Anthropometric data are strictly regulated: height must be within the range of 150 to 190 centimeters, and weight from 50 to 90 kilograms. This is due to not only the ergonomics of the seats in the descent modules but also the specifics of working in Orlan spacesuits during spacewalks, where every extra centimeter or kilogram can be a critical factor.
Educational Requirements and Linguistic Skills
The intellectual bar remains traditionally high. Candidates must have a master’s or specialist degree in an approved list of specialties with an average grade of at least 4.0. Work experience in the profession must be at least three years. An interesting innovation is the expansion of linguistic requirements. If previously only English was considered mandatory, now the commission is ready to consider knowledge of Spanish, Italian, German, or French. This emphasizes the international nature of future missions and preparation for the operation of the new Russian Orbital Station (ROS).
Medical Revolution of 2026: New Approvals
As part of the current selection, Roscosmos has implemented updated medical standards, which will become the baseline by 2026. The list of contraindications has significantly decreased, opening doors to those who could only dream of the sky before. People with Gilbert’s syndrome can now join the corps. The attitude towards surgical interventions has also been revised: appendectomy or healed bone fractures are no longer obstacles if more than six months have passed since the operation. Ophthalmological requirements have also become more lenient – vision correction using LASIK (three years after the procedure) and myopia or hyperopia up to 3.0 diopters are allowed.
Tattoos Banned: Aesthetics or Medicine?
The most discussed point in the tattoo culture community has been the categorical ban on body art. Roscosmos has taken a firm stance: the body of a future astronaut must be clean. Only minimal exceptions are allowed – lettering or blood type up to three centimeters in diameter, which are completely hidden under clothing. However, even these marks will have to be removed by the candidate if they successfully pass all stages of selection. From the perspective of tattoo culture and aviation medicine, such a ban has several grounds.
Firstly, the skin is the largest organ of the human body, performing thermoregulation and protection functions. In microgravity conditions and the specific atmosphere of the ISS, any changes in the dermal structure can lead to unpredictable reactions or dermatitis, which are difficult to treat in space. Secondly, in the conservative environment of Russian cosmonautics, tattoos are often viewed as a marker of certain psychological characteristics. Psychologists at the Cosmonaut Training Center (CTC) strive to exclude any factors that might indicate a propensity for impulsive decisions, although in the modern world, tattoos have long become a form of art, not a sign of deviation.
Selection Stages and Psychological Pressure
The path from an application on Gosuslugi to Star City is divided into several filters. After the initial screening of documents and medical certificates in the regions, the best candidates are invited to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. Here, the most challenging part begins: in-person physical fitness tests, work in anechoic chambers, and multi-hour psychological training. Experts assess not only endurance but also cognitive abilities – the ability to make lightning-fast decisions under time pressure and isolation. The results of this large-scale campaign will be announced on November 10, when the interdepartmental commission will announce the names of the new corps members.
Analysis of the Situation: The Future of Tattoos in Extreme Professions
For the tattoo enthusiast community, Roscosmos’s decision appears to be a strict adherence to tradition, considering that Western agencies like NASA are much more relaxed about body art, as long as it is not offensive. However, the domestic school of cosmonautics has always been distinguished by a special aspiration to idealize the image of a cosmonaut as a flawless representative of humanity in all respects. Those who dream of orbit will have to choose: either self-expression through ink under the skin, or a view of Earth from the porthole, which no sketch, however high-quality, can replace.