Former cosmonaut Dumitru Prunariu spoke on Tuesday, at an event marking 45 years since his space flight, about the chances of another Romanian leaving Earth's orbit in the near future. He noted that Romania twice failed, for extended periods, to pay its contribution to the European Space Agency (ESA), becoming a 'black sheep' within the organisation.

'At this moment, although we are full members of the European Space Agency and have the right to participate in astronaut selections, the issues here are somewhat sensitive,' Prunariu said at a press conference dedicated to the anniversary of the first Romanian spaceflight. He explained that Europe organises astronaut selections roughly every 10 - 15 years and that, based on the number of missions available, 'by 2030 it was considered that no more than six more European astronauts are needed.'

Out of more than 12,000 applicants - including 255 Romanians - choosing only six was extremely difficult, he said. 'You shortlist them to 100, let's say, who are all very good from all points of view: medical parameters, intelligence, psychology, technical training and so on. But in the end you only need six.'

He added that the final selection also took into account each country's financial contribution to ESA programs. 'And then you cannot fight with France, nor with Germany, with Italy, or with Great Britain, which is part of ESA, nor with the Nordic countries. To be honest, over a longer period of time, Romania twice did not pay its contribution to ESA and became the Agency's black sheep. And this is because the rulers did not understand in time the importance of this institution and how much it contributes to technological and industrial development in a country.'

In his view, Romania has still not fully grasped the industrial and technological benefits that ESA membership can bring. 'It was considered that we only give out money - we give it and we return it if we know how. Many countries have actually developed technologically by joining the European Space Agency - Italy, for example, Spain, Austria, which now have consistent programs precisely through European funding.'

Given this context, he said, it is unsurprising that no Romanian candidate was selected in the latest round - and prospects for the next selection, which is likely in about ten years, remain limited. 'There are small chances that at the next selection we will have cosmonaut candidates,' Prunariu stressed.

He also pointed out that Europe still lacks its own capability to launch humans into space and remains dependent on the United States, Russia or China for crewed missions.

'Why don't we train cosmonauts in Romania? First of all, Romania has no means to launch people into outer space. Europe has no means to launch people into outer space. It depends on the United States, on the Russian Federation,' the former cosmonaut said, adding that cooperation with China 'remained at a certain level - not frozen, but it has not developed', even though two European astronauts - Italy's Samantha Cristoforetti and Germany's Matthias Maurer - trained with Chinese crews. 'So, no country that lacks the capacity to launch people into outer space trains its astronauts at home,' he explained.

Prunariu stressed that Romania cannot train astronauts at home and then send them into space using foreign launch systems. 'Of course, we can do theoretical courses, but all the training facilities are located where countries have the facility to launch them into outer space - near Moscow, in Star City, in Houston in the United States. Europe trains astronauts in simulators in Cologne, where the European Space Center exists. But it does not send them out from Europe.'

Because of this, he said, 'we would have no chance to train them in Romania and send them into outer space with foreign technology.' Astronaut preparation requires extensive simulator hours, and 'you cannot do the simulator in Romania, because there is no place for that. So, you have to stay in the country that trains space people'.

Prunariu recalled that his own mission was possible only because Romania was part of the Soviet-led Intercosmos program. 'We had the chance then, when I flew into Cosmos, to be part of that international program intended precisely to develop cosmic capabilities in all partner countries and raise our level of international involvement,' he said.

Between 1978 and 1981, Dumitru Prunariu took part in the final preparations for manned space flights on Soyuz spacecraft and Saliut orbital laboratories at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center near Moscow. The crew he belonged to was selected to carry out the first Romanian - Soviet space mission. Thus, on the evening of May 14, 1981, at 8:17 p.m. (Bucharest time), he launched into space aboard the Soyuz 40 spacecraft, which later docked with the Saliut 6-Soyuz T-4 orbital complex. He returned to Earth on May 22, 1981. Following this mission, Dumitru Prunariu became the first Romanian cosmonaut and the 103rd human to travel into space. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Mihai Stoica; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)