Space Calling! Invitation to a Journey of a Lifetime

Hello, friends! Pilot-Cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin here with you. I am glad to share the news: for Cosmonautics Day, together with Yandex Zen, we are launching a large-scale documentary project about the road to space: “Space Calling.” Six documentary series and sixteen articles, scheduled to launch in April and May 2025, tell about all stages of becoming a cosmonaut: from the first childhood dream to the moment when endless Universe appears outside the porthole.

You know what's amazing? When we started discussing this project with Zen team, I had no idea how deeply it would affect me. During the filming, I literally relived the most important steps of my professional journey. I found myself in a centrifuge again, entered the Orlan spacesuit, flew with an instructor in a helicopter, almost like in our experiments after the third flight, and in a manual controlled descent simulator I performed a manual entry into the atmosphere. Can you imagine that, after a three-year break, I got an excellent grade the first time!

These moments took me back to the time when each day was a step towards space.

Meetings with instructors and specialists who once prepared me for flights gave me special emotional experiences. It was touching to see that even today they put their hearts into training cosmonauts, not just for money, but with real dedication. In their eyes, I saw the same dedication that inspired me many years ago.

Our project is not just a step-by-step guide on “How to become a cosmonaut”. Yes, we talk in detail about each stage of selection and preparation: from the first medical commissions to many hours of training in a spacesuit, from studying onboard systems to practicing actions in emergency. But most importantly, we talk about what remains beyond the official requirements and instructions. We discuss decisions and way of thinking necessary to achieve a seemingly unattainable goal. We observe origins of motivation when you are worn out. And believing in yourself when everyone around doubts. And overcoming fears and doubts. And the role of persistence and of luck.

You will learn how a boy from an ordinary family decided to become a cosmonaut at the age of 14 and, following his dream, ended up on board the ISS at the age of 35 — the youngest person to fly to the station.

I often come across the question: “Is space for me?” This project was created for everyone who has ever asked themselves this question.

For children and teenagers who look at the starry sky with anticipation and dream of flying.

For parents whose children have declared that they want to become cosmonauts and who do not know how to help them and where to start.

For young people choosing a professional path and considering cosmonautics as a possible direction.

For adults who want to know what lies behind the beautiful shots from orbit and loud headlines of the news.

And even for those who will never fly into space but want to understand the logic of decision-making, nature of preparation and the psychology of the people who choose this path.

You know what always surprises me about space travel? It’s how often people view cosmonauts as superheroes with superpowers.

But cosmonauts are no superhumans with extraordinary abilities. They are ordinary people with an extraordinary dream and a willingness to work on it every day.

Our project will help you see that there are people behind every technical requirement, every scientific experiment, every element of preparation — with their fears and hopes, doubts and confidence, weaknesses and strengths. We will talk about how to cope with fear of first spacewalk, how to find the strength to do two-hour workouts every day to counteract the negative impact of weightlessness on your body.

Once, at a meeting with teenagers, one boy asked me: “If you had not become an cosmonaut, what would you have been?” I answered: “Probably a pilot or a sailor.” But later on, I thought: the point is not what profession you choose, but how well you suit it and how well it suits you.

During my preparation for the flights, I heard important words from a psychologist: “You have to move along your strong line to be as successful as possible.” And Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, whom with I flew to the ISS in 2021, put it this way: “Do what you love, and you will be already half a step away from success.”

This is ultimately what our project is about. Finding your strong line. Discovering an occupation that you love and in which you can fulfill your potential, be that cosmonautics or something completely different.

I am grateful to this project for the opportunity to return to those days when every morning began with training, and every evening ended with studying the ship's systems. It helped me to relive the drive and responsibility that accompany cosmonaut’s journey.

And now I want to share this experience with you. I invite you on a journey along the road to space — the one that begins with a dream and leads to the stars.

We will be releasing documentary series and articles in April and May. I invite you to follow the publications, ask questions, share your impressions. This will be our common journey into the world of cosmonautics — a world that is much closer and more accessible than it may seem at first glance.

See you among the stars!

Pilot-Cosmonaut, Hero of Russia

Alexander Misurkin