MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The reconstruction of weightless environment training facility (hydro lab) at the Yuri Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) will be finished by the end of 2016, the head of the GCTC said Friday.
"As for hydro lab's base, we have started assembling of the platform. The assembling of conditioning system, ventilation, as well as of dome and glazing have already been finished," Yuri Lonchakov told reporters.
He added that the hydro lab's operations that were due to start in 2015 were delayed because of the import substitution of special technical and engineering equipment and the problems with contractors.
The hydro lab of the GCTC was put into operation in 1980 and was closed for reconstruction in 2015. The lab is used to simulate weightlessness in order to train cosmonauts for extravehicular activity, tracking of cosmonauts activity in outer space and other research activities, according to the GCTC.
