For a half-century, Russia’s cosmonauts have trained for space exploration at Star City, a “town” that, until recently, remained hidden in a forest outside Moscow. Here the Yuri A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center continues to prepare men and women — including you — for Soyuz flights and International Space Station missions, both virtual and real.

On this A&K Space adventure, you become one of the few civilians to train on actual Russian space flight and zero gravity simulators. Your education ranges from demonstrations and tours to hands-on experiences, as you test new skills and “dock” the Soyuz or Space Shuttle at the International Space Station.

The Cosmonaut Life adventure is also a fascinating study of extremes. This nine-day experience embraces Moscow’s regional diversity, juxtaposing Orlan space suits with authentic Armenian village dress, and the world’s largest centrifuge with the sparkling treasures in the Diamond Fund. In the same day an engineer guides you through Korolev, Russia’s Mission Control, offering insights into the Soyuz logistics, you visit the rural settlement Posad Sergiev, an ancient center of the Russian Orthodox Church.

This is a seamless journey through the past, into the present, and touching on the future – a combination that is quintessentially Russian.