On 26 August 2026, Roscosmos cosmonaut Harutyun Kiviryan successfully completed an examination complex training session on the simulator of the Russian segment of the International Space Station. This was the final test before the flight for the backup crew member of the Crew‑13 mission. The examination commission, chaired by the head of the Cosmonaut Training Centre and Hero of Russia Oleg Kononenko, gave him a high rating.
How the Training WentThe session lasted eight hours and fully simulated a typical working day in orbit. In addition to routine operations, the instructors introduced off‑nominal and emergency situations according to the examination scenario.
First, communication was lost between the Russian and American segments of the station. Kiviryan restored it independently. Then, in the Nauka module, the electromagnetic valve of the Elektron system, which produces oxygen, failed. The cosmonaut reported the malfunction to Earth and resolved the issue using onboard documentation.
Later, due to a central post computer failure, the internal network shut down, and the laptop lost connection with the central computing machine. Following that, the emergency alarm was triggered and the toilet malfunctioned. At the end of the shift, a simulated fire broke out on the station, which, according to the exam scenario, could not be extinguished.
Routine Work Alongside EmergenciesSimultaneously with handling off‑nominal situations, the cosmonaut performed regular tasks. He activated the Elektron system, rebooted laptops, conducted a medical test, and carried out the BTN‑Neutron‑2 experiment, during which he measured the time and energy parameters of the neutron spectrum near Earth. In the middle of the day, Kiviryan took a break for lunch, and also recorded and transmitted to Earth a television report on space programmes.
Preparation for the ExamThe cosmonaut had been preparing for the complex test for six months—in Star City and in Houston. The training programme was coordinated by Roscosmos and NASA. At the Cosmonaut Training Centre, crews study the onboard systems of the Russian segment in greater depth, while the American centre places more emphasis on emergency actions and working with international colleagues.
Before the exam began, Kiviryan noted that the CPC drills for any unforeseen scenarios. Therefore, he was prepared to act in various conditions and operate all station onboard systems.
In BriefRoscosmos cosmonaut Harutyun Kiviryan, backup for the Crew‑13 mission, successfully passed an eight‑hour examination training session on the Russian segment simulator of the ISS. During the test, he dealt with several off‑nominal situations, including communication loss between segments, failure of the oxygen‑generation system, a computer network failure, and a simulated fire, while simultaneously performing routine operations and a scientific experiment. The preparation took place in Russia and the USA under a coordinated programme by the two agencies. The commission, chaired by Oleg Kononenko, rated the cosmonaut's performance highly.
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