The American spacecraft Crew Dragon, whose crew included Russian Anna Kikina, returned from the International Space Station to Earth on March 12. Anna became the first Russian cosmonaut to fly on an American spacecraft under the cross-flight agreement signed in 2022. Kikina told correspondent Pavel Zyuzin about how the rehabilitation went, what difficulties she had to face during selection for cosmonauts, about possible participation in the sequel to the film “Challenge” and preparations for the next flight.
– How do you feel after six months after the flight?
– I feel absolutely wonderful and wonderful, full of energy.
– Was it difficult to undergo rehabilitation, or are you ready to go on a new flight even now?< br />
– Rehabilitation consists of several successive steps. I wouldn't say it's difficult, it's just a sequence of actions.
– After the flight, you became even more famous, especially in your home region. The Novosibirsk Planetarium is now named after you, and you have been given the status of an honorary resident of the city. Are you already used to such popularity?
– There was increased interest in me even before the flight into space. This is a feature of our work, because with the help of astronauts they popularize the industry, we are constantly in sight. I won’t say that this was something super unexpected for me. But the way my city received me was very pleasant: cordially, cordially, somehow warmly, kindly. And this is mutual, the city and I love each other.
– In addition, the Novosibirsk Puppet Theater staged a play based on your flight. Have they contacted you for advice?
– The puppet theater in the city of Novosibirsk really created an educational performance about the flight of Gorodovichok (symbol of the city — ed.) into space with me. This is a very interesting production, I was a spectator. No, they never contacted me when implementing this idea; everything worked out fine on their own.
– So, did you like the performance?
– Yes, I really liked it.
– If they started making a movie about your flight, how would you perceive it? ? Which actress would be entrusted with the role of Anna Kikina?
– You need to think about this, discuss it, consider all the conditions and circumstances. Let's see. I don’t give up anything in life in advance, we’ll see.
– You worked as a radio presenter before you decided to become an astronaut. Do you want to return to this profession with new experience? For example, record podcasts about space?
– So far I have no desire to host any podcasts or channels related to anything at all. How it will be in the future, I say again, we’ll see, I can’t promise now.
– The first female cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova, having completed her career, became a deputy. Are you interested in social activities, politics?
– At the moment I don’t want to go in the direction of politics and I don’t see myself there in the future.
– Some cosmonauts have already tried themselves as actors, having played in the film “Challenge”. The creators of the film do not rule out that there will be a sequel. If they invite you, will you agree to act?
– If this target task was related to my professional activity, I would gladly take part in it. But first of all, this is my job.
– Do the creators of films and TV series about space turn to astronauts for advice?
– I don’t have statistics like how often they turn to astronauts. I know that they often turn to experienced cosmonauts who are no longer in the detachment, to veterans; they have never approached me yet.
— What if they do? Would you refuse?
– Let’s see, depending on what the situation is.
– You once said that when collecting medical certificates for selection into the cosmonaut corps, doctors They answered you with irony. What other prejudices have you encountered?
– The doctors perceived it not with irony, but with surprise. For the first time, a man came to them with a request to undergo an examination for selection into the cosmonaut corps. Most likely, the public environment, people who saw you in the same clinic, found out about this completely by accident and perceived it with skepticism, because it looks like something unreal. This can be observed very often to this day. But still, more and more people see that you can become an astronaut. I noticed that the popularization of manned astronautics has increased recently.
It would be great if there were more women cosmonauts in the corps. I don’t know what it is that I’m one of the twenty-six, but women always want to get into the squad and always go. So far they haven’t succeeded, but they will succeed, I want to believe in it.
– What advice could you give to girls in Russia who dream of joining the cosmonaut corps, but are afraid of difficulties ?
— There will be difficulties. A person’s choice is how to treat them and how to work with them. Excessive fear, I know, takes away a lot of strength that is so necessary for effective work. Excitement is present in our lives very often, and it is possible, necessary, and good. You concentrate yourself, gather yourself, focus. Therefore, girls who are initially planning and preparing themselves to join the cosmonaut corps do not need advice. They themselves know that they need to go in this direction and just act, and I only support them and wish them success.
– The media often emphasize that you are the only woman in the cosmonaut corps. If other girls get into the squad, will you be upset that you will be deprived of this status, or will you be happy with the newcomers?
– I didn’t ask for this status. It turns out this way due to circumstances, I will be happy if there are more girls in the squad.
– By the way, I wanted to clarify: “female cosmonaut”, “cosmonaut” or “cosmonaut”? What do you like best?
– Call me like everyone else – astronaut.
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– Would you like to visit the future Russian orbital station?
– Of course, it’s interesting.
– You too underwent special training for interplanetary flights. Please tell us what such preparation is like?
– You mean the ground-based isolation experiment, it’s called SIRIUS. I took part in the first stage, in my case it was SIRIUS-17. Seventeen days of isolation and maximum simulation of space flight. It was very interesting.
I perceived it as a training flight before the real one. We had no specific exits or activities on the planet. The main task was to fly around the Moon and return to Earth. I think this is a useful experiment, and right now, in the near future, the stage with isolation for a whole year is starting.
– Are you already preparing for the next flight, and when can it take place?< br /> – Yes, as soon as I touched the surface of our planet and splashed down, I was already preparing for my next flight. Rehabilitation is the first step. I am now in my active phase, in preparation and awaiting my assignment to the crew of further expeditions.