Star City

  • Establishment of Training Center

    The Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) is established in the Russian town of Star City
  • Future Cosmonauts and Families Move into Star City

    Cosmonauts-in-Training and their families move into the new facilities in Star City. In addition to research and training facilities, a residential area served as housing for civilian and military personnel.
  • New Requirements for Cosmonaut Crews

    Soviet Union established a rule that demanded each crew have one captain from GCTC and a flight engineeer from Energiya
  • Death of Yuri Gagarin

    Yuri Gagarin, the namesake of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center dies at the age of 34 in a fatal training crash. Gagarin was one of the original cosmonauts of Star City, and later became head of the CTC.
  • NASA Trains in Star City

    American astronauts are given access to the center's facilities for the Apollo-Suyez Test Project (assignment of both the U.S. and Russia)
  • Monument is Built to Commemorate Dog

    Laika was the first animal in space, but died shortly due to overheating. A statue was built in Star City to honor her.
  • New Head of the Gagarin Training Center

    Veteran cosmonaut, Sergia Krikalev, is appointed head of the GTCT
  • Star City Election!

    Previously, the military director lead the city, but in 2009 an official election was held. Nykolai Rybkin was chosen, but he was in jail due to smuggling charges. The Russian goverment picked past cosmonaught Alexander Volkav in his place.
  • Management Transfer from Russian Air Force to Roskosmos Complete

    Russian space agency Roskosmos takes over responsibility for Star City from the Russian Air Force. All formal transfer procedures were to be complete by this date.
  • Transfer from Military to Civilian Control

    The Russian Air Force had no need to involve themselves in the center and passed the baton onto Roskomos (Russian Federal Space Agency)
  • Star City opens to the public

    Private air force operation greets businesses and tourists
  • Roskosmos Cosmonaut Maksim Suraev Returns from Orbit

    Maksim Suraev, a cosmonaut for Roskosmos, returns from orbit.
  • Head of Roskosmos Signs Merger of Military and Civilian Cosmonauts

    Head of Roskosmos Anatoly Perminov signed order No, 197, merging military cosmonauts with two civillian groups: RKK Energia and the IMBP. The three groups were merged into a single unit.
  • Over 2,000 People Working for the Cosmonaut Training Center

    Russia reports 2,000 people working for the CTC, with 600 people in positions considered "critical" for facility readiness.
  • Sarah Brightman in Star City to Train for ISS Journey

    Brightman begins training preparations for her journey to the International Space Station as a "space tourist".