Oleg Kononenko, head of the Cosmonaut Training Center, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin are training as part of the backup crew for ISS-76. Kononenko has been appointed crew commander, according to Turkmenportal.

One of the training stages took place in the Cosmonaut Training Center’s hydro-laboratory. The cosmonauts practiced spacewalk operations: working with the airlock hatch, moving along handrails on the station’s surface, transporting equipment, laying cables, and connecting electrical connectors.

Special attention was paid to working with the ERA remote manipulator, designed to move equipment outside the Russian segment of the ISS. The trainees practiced moving along a mock-up of the manipulator, using a portable operator workstation, and responding to potential emergency situations.

Oleg Kononenko was born on June 21, 1964, in the city of Chardzhou, now known as Turkmenabat. The future cosmonaut graduated with honors from Secondary School No. 15 in his hometown.

In 2009, Kononenko’s achievements were recognized with a state award from Turkmenistan—the “Prezidentiň Ýyldyzy” (“Star of the President”) Order. During his flights to the ISS, the cosmonaut repeatedly addressed the people of Turkmenistan and photographed Ashgabat at night from orbit.