Children trained to survive at Cosmonauts'' Training Center

Moscow, Feb 4 (Itar-Tass) A group of 13 children from aSt Petersburg orphanage have been trained this week tosurvive under extreme conditions on training grounds of theCosmonauts Training Center.

The children were trained similar to grown-up cosmonautsfrom ISS crews.

Instructors of the Cosmonauts'' Training Center gavechildren the necessary theoretical instructions and taughtthem the way to wear real space suits, shield themselves fromthe wind in spontaneously raised wigwams made of any rubbishat hand, make bonfires and launch signal rockets..

The technique of survival in a winter forest is one ofthe sections in a special program titled "Vacationing inSpace" taught to the children at the Training Center, saidCoordinator of the program Alexandra Titova.

In connection with the coming 50th anniversary since thefirst space flight performed by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarinin 1961 a program of children''s training has beenconsiderably broadened, Titova said.

In the framework of the "Star Race" competition whosewinners will be announced in the end of April and will begiven a prize- a free voucher to a "space" vacation at the"Orlyonok" recreation camp, Titova said.

She praised the other programs such as "A Vacation inSpace" and "The Weekend in Space" where children accompaniedby their parents enjoy a few days'' vacation at a hotel on thepremises of the Cosmonauts Training Center, meet cosmonautsand visiting astronauts, learn to exercise on trainingfacilities of the Center.

Another popular program - "English Together",promotes intellectual development of children who take part inpress conferences, round-table discussions and games held inEnglish. NASA astronauts are often invited to take part inthe "English Together" program as native speakers. (Itar-Tass)