While the Americans sought mature test pilots for their first spaceflights, the Soviets recruited young pilots with the intent of training them for a career as spacemen. There were 3,000 applicants following interviews with medical doctor teams that toured Soviet air bases beginning in August 1959. 102 were called for physical and psychological tests. 8 of these were selected, but then Chief Designer Korolev said he wanted a pool three times larger than the American Mercury cadre. Of the 20 selected, 12 would fly in space. Of the 8 that did not, 1 died in a ground fire in training; 3 were dismissed for disciplinary reasons; and 4 left following injuries in training.

	Anikeyev	Ivan Nikolayevich Anikeyev. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 12 February 1933. Died 20 August 1992.
	Belyayev	Pavel Ivanovich Belyayev. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 26 June 1925. Died 10 January 1970.
	Bondarenko	Valentin Vasilyevich Bondarenko. Ukrainian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 16 February 1937. Died 23 March 1961.
	Bykovsky	Valeri Fyodorovich Bykovsky. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 2 August 1934.
	Filatyev	Valentin Ignatyevich Filatyev. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 21 January 1930. Died 15 September 1990.
	Gagarin	Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 9 March 1934. Died 27 March 1968. First person in space.
	Gorbatko	Viktor Vassilyevich Gorbatko. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 3 December 1934.
	Kartashov	Anatoli Yakovlevich Kartashov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 25 August 1932. Died 11 December 2005.
	Khrunov	Yevgeni Vassilyevich Khrunov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 10 September 1933. Died 19 May 2000. Member of first crew to transfer between spacecraft.
	Komarov	Vladimir Mikhailovich Komarov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 16 March 1927. Died 24 April 1967. First person to die during spaceflight.
	Leonov	Aleksei Arkhipovich Leonov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 30 May 1934. First person to walk in space. Flew in first docking mission between American and Soviet spacecraft.
	Nelyubov	Grigori Grigoyevich Nelyubov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 31 March 1934. Died 18 February 1966.
	Nikolayev	Andrian Grigoryevich Nikolayev. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 5 September 1929. Died 3 July 2004. First person to fly more than one day in space. Married Valentina Tereshkova, and fathered first child born to parents that had both flown in space.
	Popovich	Pavel Romanovich Popovich. Ukrainian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 5 October 1930. Commander of first military space station mission.
	Rafikov	Mars Zakirovich Rafikov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 29 September 1933. Died 23 July 2000.
	Shonin	Georgi Stepanovich Shonin. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 3 August 1935. Died 7 April 1997.
	Titov	Gherman Stepanovich Titov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 11 September 1935. Died 20 September 2000. Second person in orbit. Youngest person in space.
	Varlamov	Valentin Stepanovich Varlamov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 15 August 1934. Died 2 October 1980.
	Volynov	Boris Valentinovich Volynov. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 18 December 1934.
	Zaikin	Dmitri Alekseyevich Zaikin. Russian Pilot Cosmonaut. Born 29 April 1932.