Both men qualified cosmonauts

ekslusif program angkasawan negara

Both men qualified cosmonauts

Anis Ibrahim reporting from Astana, Kazakhstan

ROSKOSMOS, the Russian Space Agency, has verified that both men in the running to be the first Malaysian in space are qualified cosmonauts.

Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis said the agency’s director-general confirmed their status to him on Friday.

“The director-general was very happy to tell me that Roskosmos, the agency which had been training Dr Sheikh Muzsaphar Shukor and Kapt Dr Faiz Khaleed, have verified that they are both qualified cosmonauts.

“They have in fact surpassed all the necessary tests for cosmonauts,” said Jamaludin yesterday.

Speaking at the Kazakhstan capital of Astana, Jamaludin said Malaysians should be proud of their angkasawan.

“There is a misconception that someone is a true cosmonaut only when he has gone into space.
“Dr Sheikh and Dr Faiz are already cosmonauts, just like fully-trained pilots waiting for their first scheduled flight,” he said.

History will be made on Wednesday when Soyuz TMA-11, a spacecraft carrying a Malaysian angkawasan, lifts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in the Kazakhstan steppes.

The entire process will be telecast live, from the launch of the spacecraft to its docking at the International Space Station and the scientific experiments the angkasawan will be conducting on board.

As to who would finally lift off from Baikonur Cosmodrome on Wednesday, Jamaludin said the final decision would be made on the launch day itself.

“The decision as to who becomes the first Malaysian in space lies with the Russians. They can make the announcement as late as four hours before the launch at 7.20pm, Kazakhstan time (9.20pm Malaysian time).”

The Oct 10 launch is one of the twice-yearly flights to the International Space Station, a research facility orbiting the Earth.

Two possible teams, each comprising a Malaysian, a Russian and an American, have been identified for the launch.

Dr Sheikh is a member of the primary team while Dr Faiz is in the secondary team.

“Any team, and any combination of three people from both teams, can go up but the final team must have all three nationalities on board.”

Both angkawasan have also been familiarised with emergency procedures, he said.

Jamaludin said Roskomos was satisfied with the Malaysian pair’s performance at the last practical training session on Oct 5.

“The training session was a ’crew fit check’, a final test to ensure that all three members of the two teams are sufficiently fit for take-off.”

Both angkasawan are currently being quarantined to ensure that the expedition is not jeopardised, Jamaludin added.