South Korea's first two potential astronauts will this month start a year of training in Russia before one of them heads to the International Space Station, officials said Sunday. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute said the pair will leave on February 27 and begin training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center from March 7 after a week of medical check-ups.
Officials weighed the merits of some 36,000 applicants before selecting researcher Ko San, 30, and female Ph.D. candidate Yi So-Yeon, 28, in December after a live TV appearance along with four other potential finalists.
Only one will be chosen to travel aboard the Russian spacecraft Soyuz and undertake 18 scientific experiments at the International Space Station during his or her week-long mission in April 2008.
South Korea will be the 36th country since Russia with Yuri Gagarin in 1961 to put a man — or woman — into space. It will cost some 26 billion won (28 million dollars).
Along with an astronaut the nation is planning to send into space some kimchi — the much-loved national dish of spicy fermented cabbage.
A state-run food research body is pushing ahead with a scheme to develop the food so that it can be eaten in space.
Source: Agence France-Presse
