Russia ready to assist in preparing first Turkmen cosmonaut

AKIPRESS.COM - "If Turkmenistan wants to send its first cosmonaut into space, Russia will help to prepare him," said Vice President of the Tsiolkovsky Russian Academy of Cosmonautics, pilot-cosmonaut and Hero of the Russian Federation Yuri Baturin, the Turkmen official media report.
​​The cosmonaut met with the head of the Space Department of the Turkmenaragatnashyk agency of the Ministry of Industry and Communication of Turkmenistan Ashyr Garayev during his visit to Ashgabat, organized by the Russian Embassy.
Baturin emphasized the potential of the Turkmen-Russian cooperation in space, and noted that first of all, such a partnership is possible in the field of satellite launches and also noted the importance of cooperation in the field of space control and personnel training.
"Russia is ready to provide any advisory assistance, or anything else if necessary. If Turkmenistan wants to send a Turkmen cosmonaut into space, then we can help in preparing him," said the Vice President of the academy.
In April 2015, Turkmenistan launched its first TürkmenÄlem 520E space communication satellite, built by the French company Thales Alenia Space, into the space orbit. The satellite was launched to geostationary orbit by the Falcon 9 rocket of the American company SpaceX from the launch site at Cape Canaveral.