New Delhi

The four astronauts who will be part of India’s first human space flight program, Gaganyaan, were trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia, the same center where Rakesh Sharma underwent training. Rakesh Sharma was the first Indian to go into space in 1984.

Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), at Star City, is about 30 kilometers north of Moscow. It was named for the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin.

The center offers high-tech training facilities, including integrated simulators. It also offers survival training for many possible landing situations, including mountains, woodlands, marshes,