Press releases

MINSK, 22 March (BelTA) - Minsk is playing host to a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE) on 21-26 March, BelTA learned from the press service of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Attending the event are ten members of the Executive Committee, including cosmonauts from Russia, the United States, China, Germany, and France. The meeting is also be attended by cosmonauts born in Belarus: President of the Russian Federation of Cosmonautics, two-time Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Kovalenok and also Pilot-Cosmonaut, Hero of Russia Oleg Novitsky.

The program of the meeting includes six technical sessions at the National Academy of Sciences and the President Hotel. The participants of the meeting will also visit the venues that are to be used during the 31^st Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers: BelAZ, the Palace of the Republic, Belexpo, Minsk Aeroclub DOSAAF, the Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus. Members of the Executive Committee of the Association of Space Explorers will also meet with representatives of the Belarusian government.

The Association of Space Explorers is an international not-for-profit organization that unites cosmonauts and astronauts from many countries. It was established in 1985 to share the best practices in the area of manned space flights.

The Planetary Congress of the Association of Space Explorers gathers cosmonauts and representatives of scientific research institutions and national space agencies on an annual basis. The 31^st Congress will be held in Minsk on 9-15 September. Among the invitees are about 350 people, including 150 cosmonauts. The program of the congress will include a plenary session, meetings of technical sections, and an exhibition of space technologies. Participants of the congress will address representatives of various organizations and higher educational institutions of Belarus, and get acquainted with the cultural and historical heritage of the country.