The winner would accompany two Soviet astronauts, rendezvous with the space station and spend about a week in orbit.

Soviet astronauts were routinely tested for their ability to work and live in a group.

The previous record, 237 days, was set by a team of Soviet astronauts in 1984.

One example oc-curred in 1965, when a Soviet astronaut was nearly killed as he tried to hold on and move about during a space walk.

American and Soviet astronauts observed the phenomenon from space as early as 1970.

One Soviet astronaut was to get into the lunar lander, leaving the other in the main spacecraft.

In return, Soviet astronauts would fly on several shuttle missions.

Researchers will also look at the back pain experienced by two-thirds of American and Soviet astronauts during space flight.

Tass also announced that two Soviet astronauts broke a 326-day record for endurance in space today.

As a Soviet astronaut he made five space flights.