Olga Mastitskaya, a junior researcher at the Institute of Physical and Organic Chemistry of the NAS of Belarus, entered an experiment to simulate a flight to the moon. This was reported by the media at the Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Eight people became participants in the annual isolation experiment to simulate a flight to the Moon SIRIUS – these are the main and backup crews. According to the institute, the crew includes six Russians, as well as Belarusian Olga Mastitskaya and Egyptian Mohammed Essam Sayed Abdelaal.

Candidates have already started initial preparation and data collection for the planned research program. In addition, various systems are being tested in order to check the medical and technical complex, research equipment and determine the locations of the equipment. The initial period of crew training will allow members to familiarize themselves with the ground-based experimental complex, various systems, including control and life support components.

The SIRIUS international project is conducted on the basis of the institute and includes a series of isolation experiments to simulate flights in space. Experiments lasting 17 days (in November 2017), four months (2018–2019), eight months (2021–2022) have already taken place. Within the framework of the project, it is planned to conduct three annual experiments, the first of which will begin in November 2023.

Olga Mastitskaya was among the six candidates from Belarus who applied for a flight to the ISS. As a result, Marina Vasilevskaya, a flight attendant of Belavia Airlines (the main candidate) and Anastasia Lenkova, a surgeon at the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Pediatric Surgery (understudy), were selected from them.

Photo: Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.