Maxim and Veneta Behar: Lessons from NASA and the path to boundless dreams

Interview on bTV in the program “This Saturday and Sunday.”

As the world once again turns its gaze toward space and NASA’s new missions to the Moon, an inspiring Bulgarian story proves that dreams have no limits. Communications expert Maxim Behar and his wife Veneta Behar completed a specialized astronaut training program at a NASA base, turning a childhood dream into a real-life experience. In the interview, they share the challenges, lessons, and the feeling of getting as close as possible to life in space—a story about courage, curiosity, and the power of pursuing the impossible.

Mityo: As our eyes are fixed on the sky and NASA’s new mission to the Moon—the first in more than half a century—we introduce you to a Bulgarian family that completed astronaut training at NASA.

Vanina: Communications expert Maxim Behar and his wife Veneta told Elica Kancheva about this incredible experience—what it feels like to be real astronaut. A story about dreams coming true.

Elica: Today is Holy Saturday, the day before Easter—and you often travel during these holidays. I am extremely glad you are with us.

Maxim: It is good to have days like this once a year, like Easter, when you reflect on renewal and feel the desire to start again.

Elica: Beautifully said. Every day is indeed a chance to start over. And tomorrow we celebrate Cosmonautics and Aviation Day—April 12—marking 65 years since Yuri Gagarin’s first orbit of Earth. Do you remember that day?

Maxim: I was in first grade. I remember what a celebration it was, and when Yuri Gagarin came to Bulgaria, even to my hometown Shumen. When we were kids and people asked what we wanted to be, we all said “astronaut.” I did not even know why—everyone just said it.

Veneta: I have always loved traveling and flying. Space is a place that lets you dream.

Elica: And here we are now in the Sofia Planetarium—a magical place where we can feel as if we are in space. A dream that you have recently made real with your trip to the United States, where you completed astronaut training.

Maxim: I have always said—if your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough. At the end of November last year, we decided to do this, without knowing how or what to expect until we arrived in Huntsville at the NASA base.

Elica: This incredible experience was a gift for your 70th birthday.

Maxim: Yes, a gift from friends—and we decided to do something unusual.

Elica: You were the only Bulgarians there—and the only non-Americans. What was the environment like?

Veneta: Unfortunately, Bulgaria is not part of the European Space Agency. We were the only foreigners. One of the instructors heard our accent and asked where we were from. When I said Bulgaria, I expected to explain—but he said: “You’re amazing—you have great mathematicians and physicists, and your children win Olympiads.” I was speechless.

Elica: That is a great recognition.

Maxim: We completed the full 10-day program astronauts go through—though they continue for three more years. When I returned, Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov called me and said we had done what he had done in space—but on Earth.

Elica: The program is very exclusively fifteen participants each year. What did you discover?

Veneta: From the first moment, you are thrown into simulations and exercises. There is a constant live stream from the space station—you see everything happening there.

Maxim: One day we were in mission control giving instructions; the next day we were in the station. Everyone has a task; if one fails, the mission can fail. We even simulated a mission to Mars.

Veneta: It is incredibly realistic—you maintain constant communication with Earth. Without it, something could go wrong.

Maxim: They put us in extreme situations too. At one point, I had to simulate an injury. The team reacted immediately—just like in a real mission.

Veneta: We also drove a rover and explored the surface.

Maxim: One key lesson—there are no mistakes in space. A mistake means the end. That is something we can all learn from.

Elica: What were the living conditions like?

Veneta: Remarkably close to real space conditions, small rooms, no windows, artificial light, little time to eat.

Maxim: After that, even a cramped airplane felt easy—we joked, “We’ve been to Mars!”

Veneta: We even had access to rockets, museums, telescopes, we observed Jupiter one night.

Elica: And you even saw a Moon boot?

Veneta: Yes, huge, and heavy.

Maxim: We even simulated moonwalking, like Neil Armstrong.

Elica: What about the role of astronauts?

Maxim: It is all science. If Bulgaria invests in science, we could have another astronaut.

Veneta: That’s why initiatives like Hello Space aim to inspire young people.

Maxim: Today, information is everywhere, there are no limits. If you focus 100%, you can achieve incredible things. I hope that by 2030, we will be interviewing a new Bulgarian astronaut.

Elica: Hopefully! Thank you for this inspiring conversation.

Maxim: Happy holidays—and may we all find the strength to start anew.

Veneta: And to dream big.

Elica: Thank you.

You can find the full interview here: https://www.maximbehar.com/bg/video/433/maksim-i-veneta-behar-preminaha-kurs-na-nasa-za-kosmonavti