Roscosmos will undertake the selection and training of the first astronaut from Myanmar. The State Corporation and the republic's space agency have formalized cooperation in key areas of the industry. The documents were signed by Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov and Myanmar Space Agency executive director Soe Myint Maung. The ceremony took place on August 18 in Moscow after negotiations between Vladimir Putin and Myanmar's leader Min Aung Hlaing.
Russia and Myanmar have agreed to collaborate in several areas. This includes satellite navigation, human spaceflight, the COSPAS-SARSAT search and rescue system, and warning about dangerous situations in near-Earth space.
As part of the agreements, representatives from Myanmar and Roscosmos enterprises signed contracts for the training and medical examinations of future astronauts from the republic. The creation of a national COSPAS-SARSAT search and rescue system in Myanmar is also part of the agreement.
Roscosmos head Dmitry Bakanov noted that the Russian side is ready to transfer its technologies and continue cooperation with Myanmar. He also reported that the RKS station is already operational, the quota for Myanmar students studying in Russian universities has been expanded, and the Bauman Moscow State Technical University is creating the republic's first student satellite.
Earlier, in February, during Dmitry Bakanov's working visit to Myanmar, a memorandum on the development of human spaceflight was signed. At that time, the Russian side declared its readiness to conduct the selection and training of the country's first astronaut, and agreements were also reached on placing a measurement collection station for the GLONASS system in Myanmar.