Female applicants have failed to qualify for a group of 13 candidates, from whom new members of Russia’s national cosmonaut team will be selected, a source in the domestic space industry told TASS on Thursday.

"Thirteen persons have been cleared by the main medical commission and the final stage will involve selection at the inter-departmental commission, which will be held in late June," the source said, specifying that "there are no females among the thirteen candidates who have been cleared for the final selection stage."

Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos and the Cosmonaut Training Center declined to comment on this information.

The inter-departmental commission recommends individuals for the beginning of general space training with further employment at the Cosmonaut Training Center and their inclusion in the team of candidate cosmonauts. After a number of tests, a candidate in the cosmonaut team may get the qualification of a test cosmonaut and count on a space flight.