He was selected for Cosmonaut training 23 August 1976 as a member of TsPK-6. Uniquely, this group was to train as pilots for the Buran programme (Soviet "space shuttle"), and as such had to also qualify as test pilots. To do so the group first attended the 267th Centre for Testing Aviation Equipment and Training Test Pilots at Akhtubinsk where they passed as test pilots (third class). This was followed up by a year's training to qualify as Cosmonauts. They then returned to Akhtubinsk for further training as test pilots (second class). In addition he qualified as a parachutist and diver. In January 1979 he was appointed as a Test Cosmonaut in OK CPC (aerospace vehicles) working on Buran.