Kazakhstan’s first experimental all-female crew prepares for space flight
Kazakhstan has set an ambitious plan to send its first experimental all-female crew to space, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Today, Astana-based National Space Center has announced the launch of the SANA-1 research project, Kazakhstan’s first experiment on a long-term crew isolation in conditions as close as possible to space flights.
The crew members are:
Yulia Bakirova, crew commander, chief research fellow at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of JSC National Center of Space Research and Technology.
Assem Kuandyk – research fellow at the Laboratory of Heat Insulation Materials of JSC National Center of Space Research and Technologies.
Darya Komarova – senior engineer of the Department of Flight Support and Technical Condition Monitoring of Spacecraft at the Republican Center for Space Communication.”
Linara Zhadigerova – engineer at the Laboratory of Space and Geophysical Research at the LLP Institute of Ionosphere.
For ten days, the female researchers will reside in a specially designed ground-based spacecraft simulator, developed by Eurasian Ventures Group at the initiative of Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov.
During the mission, the crew will carry out a series of medical, cognitive and test-based studies, simulating real space expedition scenarios, along with various educational experiments.
The program is led by Assistant Professor and Head of the AI Lab at the Kazakh-British Technical University, PhD in Psychology, Alina Gutoreva.
According to Alan Kazkenov, Deputy Chief of the Aerospace Committee of the Ministry of AI and Digital Development, the SANA-1 project holds strategic importance for the entire country.
“The experiment lays foundation for building the country’s national research infrastructure and training specialists for further space missions. Its goal is not only to advance the country’s potential in space science, but also to promote greater engagement of women in space science. The female crew of SANA-1 symbolizes a new step towards gender equality and demonstrates Kazakhstan’s commitment to form its own team of researchers for future space expeditions,” he said.