Valery Korzun, first deputy chief of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, told Khabar television Aidyn Aimbetov and Mukhtar Aymakhanov might go in 2006 if the U.S. space shuttles resume regular flights and additional agreements are reached between Kazakhstan and Russia.

Aimbetov and Aymakhanov are completing general space training and are to take the state examination in July. After that, the men could be eligible for space flight in less than a year, Khabar said.

"If they are to fly as ... professional cosmonauts they will have to prepare for flying for at least two years," Korzun said.

"If they are to fly as researchers ... that is for a short flight, then we will be able to prepare them within eight months after they complete general space training."

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