Astronaut Viknesh's File

8/14/2019 Astronaut Viknesh's File

1/19

MORE PICS & Video Malaysian spaceflight participant SheikhMuszaphar Returns with Crew 15 Expedition in Soyuz TMA-10 21st Oct07, 10:36 GMT

Email

Written by multidimid on Oct-22-07 11:11am

From: powerpresent.blogspot.com

Malaysiakini has the the landing report time stamped at

11.11am when the landing is at 6.43 pm. Obviously, their system clock is out of tuned and the

Admin is not aware of it. The landing was off course a bit but right on target and estimated time

Sheikh Muszaphar returns to Earth Oct 21, 07 11:11am; Other Prime story on PPP

BN to study PPPs quest for more seatsBede Hong | Oct 21, 07 4:17pm and

Kayveas: Dont kill us offBede Hong | Oct 21, 07 6:10pm with the

Malaysiakini-tv onMalik & his moment of terror

First Malaysian in space: Computer glitch sends Soyuz 340km off target

By : Anis Ibrahim reporting from Baikonur, NSTANGKASAWAN Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor returned to Earth safely yesterday.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak (ABOVE) congratulated Datin

Zuraidah Sheikh Ahmad after the Soyuz TMA-10 craft landed yesterday.

After spending 11 days in space, he was the second man to come out of the Soyuz TMA-10

craft after Fyodor Yurchikhin. The third person to emerge from the capsule was Oleg Kotov.

The Soyuz landed 340km west of the designated site at 6.37pm. Search and rescue plans were

upgraded because of the ballistic entry of the Soyuz into the Earth's atmosphere. Yurchikhin

reported that the ballistic entry was triggered by onboard computers, resulting in a steeper
http://www.zimbio.com/Kuala+Lumpur/share?Content=/Kuala+Lumpur/articles/fmm5k5GqXIJ/MORE+PICS+Video+Malaysian+spaceflight+participanthttp://www.zimbio.com/member/multidimidhttp://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/10/more-pics-video-malaysian-spaceflight.htmlhttp://www.zimbio.com/go/VTtIXFHC2Jm/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/http://www.zimbio.com/go/5MZoQoc9fP8/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/news/73796http://www.zimbio.com/go/u11AXNdTAGD/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/news/73786http://www.zimbio.com/go/u11AXNdTAGD/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/news/73786http://www.zimbio.com/go/ciqn-iL9BqL/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/news/73793http://www.zimbio.com/go/1G1Cv0RXA34/http:/www.malaysiakini.tv/?vid=1434http://www.zimbio.com/go/1G1Cv0RXA34/http:/www.malaysiakini.tv/?vid=1434http://www.zimbio.com/go/1G1Cv0RXA34/http:/www.malaysiakini.tv/?vid=1434http://www.zimbio.com/go/oAWFi5RAbIE/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwgxGc0csI/AAAAAAAAOx8/3FNK2lCRqws/s1600-h/z7++NAjob.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/nCoFOMRK5Hh/http:/bp1.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtJrGc0cMI/AAAAAAAAOuA/cfN0EJ3oLA4/s1600-h/1_MSIA.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/member/multidimidhttp://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/10/more-pics-video-malaysian-spaceflight.htmlhttp://www.zimbio.com/go/VTtIXFHC2Jm/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/http://www.zimbio.com/go/5MZoQoc9fP8/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/news/73796http://www.zimbio.com/go/u11AXNdTAGD/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/news/73786http://www.zimbio.com/go/ciqn-iL9BqL/http:/www.malaysiakini.com/news/73793http://www.zimbio.com/go/1G1Cv0RXA34/http:/www.malaysiakini.tv/?vid=1434http://www.zimbio.com/go/1G1Cv0RXA34/http:/www.malaysiakini.tv/?vid=1434http://www.zimbio.com/Kuala+Lumpur/share?Content=/Kuala+Lumpur/articles/fmm5k5GqXIJ/MORE+PICS+Video+Malaysian+spaceflight+participant


2/19

descent and, thus, the off-course landing. The spacecraft deviated from its intended landing

spot after a problem during the descent. But it landed safely and the crew was unharmed, said

Russian Mission Control spokesman Valery Lyndin. Russian search and rescue teams quickly

located the craft. One helicopter was already on the ground when the Soyuz landed. Twenty

minutes after landing, the crew was extracted from the craft. The medical team, whichexamined the crew, reported that they were in good health. Among those at the Mission

Control Centre in Moscow keeping tabs on the Soyuz were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri

Najib Razak and Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin

Jarjis. High-ranking officials from the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos, including its

director, Anatoli Perminov, were also present, together with Dr Muszaphar's parents, Datuk

Sheikh Mustapha Sheikh Shukor and Datin Zuraidah Sheikh Ahmad. Najib told a press

conference that he and all Malaysians were happy that Dr Muszaphar had landed safely. "This

is a very momentous and historic occasion for Malaysia. It will go down in the annals of our

history because this is a first for Malaysia in space and he has returned safely. "The entire

mission will be a landmark voyage for Malaysia." He expressed his gratitude to Perminov,Roscosmos, the Russian and Kazakhstan governments, Nasa, the European Space Agency and

other organisations which supported the angkasawan project. "We have shown that this is a

good example of an international collaborative mission. This space collaboration opens up

many new opportunities in the future." He said Malaysia would undertake an in-depth study

of the success of the mission, not only in terms of how the local man fared physically but also

the scientific experiments carried out in space. "There are benefits we have reaped from the

mission. The tangible benefits would be ascertained from ouranalysis of the scientific

experiments conducted and results achieved and whether they would lead to

commercialisation. "The intangible benefit is, as a nation, Malaysians feel very proud that we

can stand a few inches taller now that we have had a Malaysian travel in space." Najib said he

hoped the project would inspire present and future generations to strive for greater endeavours

in all fields.

= == = == = =

Went up with Russian Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft and came back with Soyuz TMA-10

Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, Soyuz Commander and Flight Engineer Yuri

Malenchenko and Malaysian Spaceflight Participant Sheikh Muzaphar Shukor were launched

on a Russian Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft on Oct. 10, 2007 at 9:22am ET from the Baikonur

Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to begin, what for Whitson and Malenchenko, will be a six-

month mission on the International Space Station. Shukor will spend nine days on the spacestation, returning to Earth Oct. 21 in the Soyuz TMA-10 capsule with the Expedition 15 crew

of Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov.

The ballistic decentfor the Soyuz was much steeperthan had planned and was initiated by the

on-board computers. This resulted in the landing site beingfurther away than the projected

one (see Map below). One helicopter was within seconds after the touch down of Soyuz. In 16

minutes one crew was extracted out by the search team. All the 3 crew members then left the

Soyuz vehicle and all of them were feeling fine

= == = == = == =


3/19

ABOVE: OverallDimsnsions of the Soyuz Spacecraft: BELOW: Separation of the Spacecraft

just before entry in to earth Atmosphere

= = ==BELOW: Reentry Capsule gets hot on entry to earth's atmosphere and is protected by

the heat shield in front

Oct 21, 2007

Soyuz returns safely to Earth with Russians, M'sia's 1st space
http://www.zimbio.com/go/hmjt4NwIEAa/http:/bp0.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/Rxwgxmc0cvI/AAAAAAAAOyU/uMxWYWZjFYQ/s1600-h/a2+cap+reenter+aymios_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/PbE33wf5KeK/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwXyGc0clI/AAAAAAAAOxE/heyevnrSs1I/s1600-h/a4++deorbit_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/PoLyknpzdPq/http:/bp1.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/Rxwa52c0cmI/AAAAAAAAOxM/iodJ2DVlo8g/s1600-h/a2+soyuz+1+size_resize.jpg


4/19

ABOVE: The landing site in Karzarkhstan

is further up than the "ballistic Landing Site" mention above and this is due to the steeper

decent than planned and BELOW: deployment of the parachutes before hitting the ground

MOSCOW - A SOYUZ craft veered off its designatedcourse Sunday while headed for its

landing in the steppes of Kazakhstan butsafely brought two Russian cosmonauts and

Malaysia's first space traveler back to Earth, officials said. The landing capsule carrying

Russians Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov, and Malaysian Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor,

deviated from its intended landing site after a technical glitch during the descent, Russia's

Mission Control spokesman Valery Lyndin said. However, it landed safely at 1036GMT

(6.36pm Singapore time) - one minute ahead of schedule - and the crew was unharmed, he

said.
http://www.zimbio.com/go/OraH3yaDd-b/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtJrWc0cOI/AAAAAAAAOuQ/vxSRKtj3JQk/s1600-h/a2++para_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/yP2T6qct40c/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtJrWc0cNI/AAAAAAAAOuI/fQ-Ta6wwPIo/s1600-h/a1++map_resize.jpg


5/19

ABOVE & BELOW: The Soyuz reentry

Capsule. The Malaysian space participant was on the Right Seat and had a hard soft

landing(see below)

= == = == = == = =

ABOVE: Sometimes the capsule can land on its side and BELOW:The reentry capsule, red

represents the seats and our Malaysian tourist was on the right, with the Commander in the

Center and the Flight Engineer on his left
http://www.zimbio.com/go/blT5dHYP1WK/http:/bp0.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/Rxwgxmc0ctI/AAAAAAAAOyE/fd52UkMXx64/s1600-h/z8++all_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/tf5uOEoz5wl/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtJrmc0cQI/AAAAAAAAOug/JL2GahPP-9k/s1600-h/a4+fall_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/kbIgJqyTA0N/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtJrmc0cPI/AAAAAAAAOuY/RFETbPshPRM/s1600-h/a3+fall_resize.jpg


6/19

= = == = == = == = = = == = == = = = == =

ABOVE: Russian Search & rescue

amphibian vehicles BELOW: the portable antenna used to establish contact with reentry

vehicle

Russian search and rescue teams quickly located the craft, which landed just under 340

kilometres west of the designated landing site near Arkalyk, Kazakhstan, NASA reported on

its web site. It said all the three crew members were feeling fine.
http://www.zimbio.com/go/YnAZvO7ExBB/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwcUWc0cpI/AAAAAAAAOxk/Nre4roZh6gU/s1600-h/z3++deorbit+5+port+attenna+2_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/Q-hnhzs6pvb/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwcUWc0coI/AAAAAAAAOxc/FmL73soOt88/s1600-h/z2++deorbit+6+rec+veh_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/SR52r3PFGMY/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtSuWc0cWI/AAAAAAAAOvQ/X0RX2YwSxTI/s1600-h/a1+soyuz+2+reentry+3+searts_resize.jpg


7/19

ABOVE: Once the Reentry capsule is

located: BELOW: Its Hatch is opened

The spacecraft's descent deviated from the intended path apparently due to a computer glitch,

and the crew were subjected to higher than normal gravity load on their descent, Mr Lyndin

said. Yurchikhin and Kotov were returning home after a six-month stint at the international

space station. Sheikh had been at the orbital outpost since Oct 12. AP

= == = == = == ==

Sunday October 21, 2007; MYT 7:20:06 PM

Angkasawan safely back on EarthMOSCOW: The Soyuz TMA-10 craft landed safely in Kazakhstan at 6.37pm Malaysian time.

The Soyuz was carrying Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Russians -

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and flight engineer Oleg Kotov.

= == = == ==

Sunday October 21, 2007

MYT 3:53:51 PM

Soyuz undocks from ISS for return to Earth
http://www.zimbio.com/go/S4fjB9BL_0y/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwcUWc0cqI/AAAAAAAAOxs/vpDww5TDnvE/s1600-h/z4++deorbit+7+hatch_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/hN214hFgCCv/http:/bp0.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwcUmc0crI/AAAAAAAAOx0/aTiRrZvb270/s1600-h/z5++deorbit+8+8+mside+hatch_resize.jpg


8/19

ABOVE: Russian Mission Control, The images of the returning cosmonauts on screen BELOW:

Soyuz TM10 - after undocking from ISS

== = == = ==
http://www.zimbio.com/go/XS25mcuUW-8/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwXyGc0ckI/AAAAAAAAOw8/ZACQNvnED40/s1600-h/a3+SOYUZ+10+away+from+iss_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/dn1DdYJL8a6/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxuXIWc0cfI/AAAAAAAAOwY/cRo9QSHTWkM/s1600-h/z6+rUSS+SP+CON_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/twHZdblan-U/http:/bp0.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtNH2c0cRI/AAAAAAAAOuo/uj3FEtNymNI/s1600-h/z1+russs_resize.jpg


9/19

ABOVE: NASA picture of Soyuz TMA-

10, 4.5 mins after undocking as seen from ISS; and BELOW: Moving away from ISS

MOSCOW: The Soyuz TMA-10 craft left its docking port at the International Space Station

(ISS) on Sunday at 3.14pm (Malaysian time), starting a return trip to Earth with Angkasawan

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and two Russian cosmonauts. The capsule was to bring Dr

Muszaphar, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and flight engineer Oleg Kotov home in about

three hours. Dr Muszaphar had been at the orbital outpost since Oct 12, while the two Russian

cosmonauts had been there for six months.
http://www.zimbio.com/go/1Z4UKTOh13A/http:/bp0.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtNI2c0cVI/AAAAAAAAOvI/susbJDi1rOw/s1600-h/z5+9+bf+reachin+earth_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/tk2JDcyEIYD/http:/bp1.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtNIGc0cSI/AAAAAAAAOuw/b7R8sffdHHY/s1600-h/z2+SOYUS+!)MA+4+hal+min+afetr+und+star+side_resize.jpg


10/19

ABOVE & BELOW: Soyuz TMA-10

spacecraft 3-1/2 hrs to landing as seen from ISS

The Soyuz briefly fired thrusters to distance itself from the station after leaving its berth on

schedule at 3.14pm (Malaysian time), said Valery Lyndin, spokesman for Russian Mission

Control outside Moscow. It was scheduled to touch down about 85km north of Arkalyk,

Kazakhstan at 6.37pm (Malaysian time), Lyndin said. Weather on the Kazakh steppe was

chilly and mostly clear, with some clouds expected to roll in before landing time. Nasa

television showed footage from the space station of the Soyuz, creeping along past the curve

of the Earth. AP

= = == = == ==

Space Station Crew Back on Earth; 10.21.07

ISS015-E-34600 : Fyodor Yurchikhin, Oleg Kotov, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Commander

Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov, the 15th crew of the International Space

Station, landed safely in their Soyuz spacecraft at 6:36 a.m. EDT Sunday in the steppes of

Kazakhstan.
http://www.zimbio.com/go/-4QHmlYHREA/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtNImc0cUI/AAAAAAAAOvA/SHo5K-yr0Cw/s1600-h/z4+soyuz+3+hrs_resize_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/CHMsQYJn-K8/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtNIWc0cTI/AAAAAAAAOu4/VAuSB_4Z5x4/s1600-h/z3+soyuz+10+3+hrdd+bef+backdrop+earcth_resize_resize.jpg


11/19

ABOVE: Cosmonauts Fyodor N. Yurchikhin (right) and Oleg V. Kotov (center), Expedition

15 commander and flight engineer, respectively, representing Russia's Federal Space Agency;

and Malaysian spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor pose for a photo in the

Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

A ballistic descent for the returning Soyuz resulted in a landing about 210 miles west of the

nominal landing site. With Expedition 15 was a Malaysian flying under an agreement with the

Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos). He arrived at the station with the Expedition 16

crew, Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko, and spent almost

nine days on the orbiting laboratory.

Yurchikhin, 48, wound up his second flight into space. He was a member of the STS-112

crew which launched to the station on Oct. 7, 2002, with the Starboard 1 Truss. He holds a

Ph.D. in economics and was named a cosmonaut-candidate in 1997.

Kotov, 41, finished his first spaceflight. He graduated from the Moscow Medical Academy in

1988, and was named a cosmonaut-candidate in 1996.

Astronaut Clayton Anderson was a member of the E15 crew during the latter part of its

increment. Anderson is scheduled to remain on the station for the first part of E16. He is

scheduled to be replaced by Dan Tani, to arrive aboard Discovery on its STS-120 mission.

Discovery will take Anderson back to Earth.Tani, 46, holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of

Technology. He was selected as an astronaut in 1996 and flew on Endeavour's STS-108

mission in December 2001. He will be making his second spaceflight.

Before closing the Soyuz-station hatches Sunday, Yurchikhin and Kotov said farewell to the

E16 crew. Whitson and Malenchenko launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Oct. 10.

Whitson, 47, is on her second mission to the station. She served as a flight engineer on the

Expedition 5 crew, launching June 5, 2002, and returning to Earth Dec 7, after almost 185

days in space. She holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Rice University in Houston. She began

working for NASA as a research biochemist in 1989 and was selected as an astronaut in 1996.
http://www.zimbio.com/go/3sWyL9ROp85/http:/bp0.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwXvmc0ciI/AAAAAAAAOws/rbgGhQx38k8/s1600-h/a1+group+crew+15_resize.jpg


12/19

Malenchenko, 45, a Russian Air Force colonel, is making his third long-duration spaceflight.

He spent 126 days aboard the Russian space station Mir beginning July 1, 1994, and

commanded the two-person station crew on Expedition 7, spending 185 days in space

beginning April 26, 2003. He also was a member of the STS-106 crew of Atlantis on an

almost-12-day mission to the station beginning Sept. 8, 2000. He is a graduate of the KharkovMilitary Aviation School and the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy. Yurchikhin

and Kotov will spend several weeks in Star City, near Moscow, for debriefing and medical

examinations.

= == = == = =

The Expedition 15 crew members have returned home.

After bidding farewell to the Expedition 16 crew Saturday night, the Expedition 15 crew,

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov, boarded their Soyuz TMA-

10 spacecraft for the return to Earth. They undocked from the station around 3:14 a.m. EDT

Sunday and landed in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 6:36 a.m.

Joining Expedition 15 for the journey home was spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar

Shukor, a Malaysian (ABOVE, Left) flying under an agreement with the Russian Federal

Space Agency (Roscosmos). He arrived at the station with the Expedition 16 crew,

Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko, on Oct 12.At a change of command ceremony Friday afternoon, the Expedition 15 crew formally

handed over command of the station to Expedition 16. Accepting command of the station

from Yurchikhin, Whitson remarked, "It's been a very impressive mission, and you guys have

performed exceptionally." Flight Engineer Clay Anderson, who joined Expedition 15 in June,

will remain onboard as a member of Expedition 16, until his replacement, astronaut Dan Tani,

arrives on the STS-120 shuttle mission later this month.
http://www.zimbio.com/go/3sWyL9ROp85/http:/bp0.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwXvmc0ciI/AAAAAAAAOws/rbgGhQx38k8/s1600-h/a1+group+crew+15_resize.jpg


13/19

= == = == = == = =

Space Station Crew Back on Earth; 10.21.07ISS015-E-34600 : Fyodor Yurchikhin, Oleg Kotov, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Commander

Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov, the 15th crew of the International Space

Station, landed safely in their Soyuz spacecraft at 6:36 a.m. EDT Sunday in the steppes of

Kazakhstan.

Image above: Cosmonauts Fyodor N. Yurchikhin (right) and Oleg V. Kotov (center),

Expedition 15 commander and flight engineer, respectively, representing Russia's Federal

Space Agency; and Malaysian spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor pose for a

photo in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA A ballistic

descent for the returning Soyuz resulted in a landing about 210 miles west of the nominal

landing site. With Expedition 15 was spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a

Malaysian flying under an agreement with the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos).

He arrived at the station with the Expedition 16 crew, Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight

Engineer Yuri Malenchenko, and spent almost nine days on the orbiting laboratory.

Yurchikhin, 48, wound up his second flight into space. He was a member of the STS-112

crew which launched to the station on Oct. 7, 2002, with the Starboard 1 Truss. He holds a

Ph.D. in economics and was named a cosmonaut-candidate in 1997.

Kotov, 41, finished his first spaceflight. He graduated from the Moscow Medical Academy in

1988, and was named a cosmonaut-candidate in 1996.

Astronaut Clayton Anderson was a member of the E15 crew during the latter part of itsincrement. Anderson is scheduled to remain on the station for the first part of E16. He is

scheduled to be replaced by Dan Tani, to arrive aboard Discovery on its STS-120 mission.

Discovery will take Anderson back to Earth.

Tani, 46, holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of

Technology. He was selected as an astronaut in 1996 and flew on Endeavour's STS-108

mission in December 2001. He will be making his second spaceflight.

Before closing the Soyuz-station hatches Sunday, Yurchikhin and Kotov said farewell to the

E16 crew. Whitson and Malenchenko launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on Oct. 10.

Whitson, 47, is on her second mission to the station. She served as a flight engineer on the

Expedition 5 crew, launching June 5, 2002, and returning to Earth Dec 7, after almost 185
http://www.zimbio.com/go/QU3PKBw3B1c/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxwXxWc0cjI/AAAAAAAAOw0/5RETgCb88NY/s1600-h/a2+GROUP+iss.jpg


14/19

days in space. She holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Rice University in Houston. She began

working for NASA as a research biochemist in 1989 and was selected as an astronaut in 1996.

Malenchenko, 45, a Russian Air Force colonel, is making his third long-duration spaceflight.

He spent 126 days aboard the Russian space station Mir beginning July 1, 1994, and

commanded the two-person station crew on Expedition 7, spending 185 days in spacebeginning April 26, 2003. He also was a member of the STS-106 crew of Atlantis on an

almost-12-day mission to the station beginning Sept. 8, 2000. He is a graduate of the Kharkov

Military Aviation School and the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy. Yurchikhin

and Kotov will spend several weeks in Star City, near Moscow, for debriefing and medical

examinations.

= == = == = =

Saturday October 20, 2007 MYT 8:20:46 PM

Angkasawan will have hard soft landing

By LISA GOH; STAR

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor landing on earth is

being described as a soft landing but he is still going to feel quite a hard jolt upon impact.

Retired Nasa astronaut Robert Hoot Gibson said although the term soft landing was being

used, it was not going to be really soft.

He said a parachute would slow the spacecraft down, and a breaking rocket would fire just

before touching the ground, there would still be a jolt when it touched the ground. It is

described as a soft landing, but its a fairly hard soft landing, he said in an interview. The

spacecraft would be descending at a speed of over 200m per second and parachutes would

slow it down to about 20mps, he said. Breaking rockets would slow it down further to 2 to

3mps just before it hits the ground. The Soyuz spacecraft carrying Dr Sheikh Muszaphar will

be undocking from the International Space Station at 3.15pm Malaysian time.

At 3.21pm, the Soyuz jets will be fired to begin departure from the ISS, and at about 5.50pm,

Soyuz computers will initiate re-entry manoeuvres. At 6.20pm, the spacecraft will break into

three modules orbital, instrumentation, and descent. The crew will be in the descent module.

At 6.23pm, the crew will feel the effects of gravity and parachutes will open. They arescheduled to land at 6.30pm in the swampy area of Arkylk in Kazakhstan. Helicopters and

amphibious vehicles will pick them up.

When Dr Sheikh comes back, he will have had an experience of a lifetime. Hes going to

say, I want to go again. And so were going to have to find another trip for him because,

believe me, hes not going to be satisfied with just going just once, Gibson said.

October 19, 2007 22:32 PM

= == = == == = ==

Interesting Experiment By Malaysian Astronaut


15/19

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's first astronaut, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar

Shukor Sheikh Mustapha today conducted five experiments in microgravity condition at the

International Space Station (ISS).

ABOVE & BELOW: the spinning of the Malaysian traditional game gasing (top)

The first was the spinning of the Malaysian traditional game gasing (top), where he attached a

string to a 95-gramme top made of aluminium and let it spin in mid-air in horizontal and

vertical positions for less than a minute.
http://www.zimbio.com/go/3oxwesxaqlU/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtlNmc0cbI/AAAAAAAAOv4/Sfj4rcXUoV4/s1600-h/2Bubble_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/lWumS1JGxrJ/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtlNWc0cYI/AAAAAAAAOvg/srUMT4shDko/s1600-h/1Top+pul+2_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/P1dOnUys1oQ/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtlNWc0cZI/AAAAAAAAOvo/8qcEkSjMySE/s1600-h/1Top+pul_resize.jpg


16/19

ABOVE & BELOW: second experiment, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar pressed a pack containing

strawberry juice which came out within seconds in a jelly-like substance floating in mid-air.

In the second experiment, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar pressed a pack containing strawberry juicewhich came out within seconds in a jelly-like substance floating in mid-air. He later used a

spoon to scoop the floating jelly and put it into his mouth.

ABOVE & BELOW: - third experiment involved the mixing of oil and water
http://www.zimbio.com/go/c9w9QjvlStk/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtlVmc0cdI/AAAAAAAAOwI/gNpmBR36AHM/s1600-h/3Mix_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/1niMnKZwNTQ/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtlNmc0ccI/AAAAAAAAOwA/VQAywSKt7JA/s1600-h/3Mix+2_resize.jpghttp://www.zimbio.com/go/CJZEBIl6eRg/http:/bp3.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxtlNmc0caI/AAAAAAAAOvw/gQdOD3xosdM/s1600-h/2Bubble+2_resize.jpg


17/19

The third experiment involved the mixing of oil and water in a square-shaped crystal box with

the substances mixing well in microgravity condition. In normal situation oil floats on top of

water. In his fourth experiment Dr Sheikh Muszaphar showed the audience on earth how a yo-

yo would swing in microgravity condition. Under normal circumstances, a yo-yo goes up and

down when in play but in microgravity condition, the yo-yo goes up, down and to the front aswell. In his last experiment, he showed the differences in velocity of three alls of different

sizes, travelling in microgravity. The balls appeared to have moved in slow motion during the

experiment. The video conference about microgravity with the Malaysian astronaut was

telecast live by Astro and watched by students brought specially to the National Science

Centre here. It was also attended by Deputy Education Minister Datuk Noh Omar and Deputy

Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha.

During the 10-minute session, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar wore a short-sleeved batik shirt, the Jalur

Gemilang hanging proudly in the background. Kong also asked Dr Sheikh Muszaphar what

was his biggest challenge at the ISS. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar replied that it was sleeping in thesame place like people would do on earth. He said he would sleep in one place and would find

himself waking up the next day at a different place. Saying that he was doing well, the

Malaysian astronaut also advised the students to study hard and show keen interest in science

subjects. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Noh said the ministry would look into the

possibility of introducing new subjects related to microgravity and space science.Dr Sheikh

Muszaphar is scheduled to return to Earth on Oct 21 with two Russians astronauts,

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov. The Soyuz TMA-11, which

brought Dr Sheikh Muszaphar to the ISS with two other crew members, blasted off from the

Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct 10.

= = == BELOW: Dr Sheikh Muszaphar gets to bring back just 7kg of Junk load that includes,

among others, six experiment kits.

= = == =

Sunday October 21, 2007

Angkasawan winds down experiments

MOSCOW: With one day to his return to earth, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor has to do a lot

of systematic packing of his cargo besides terminating the last three experiments. He gets to
http://www.zimbio.com/go/ZDGvKOsV7e0/http:/bp2.blogger.com/_0fSuMnq0F3M/RxuTdWc0ceI/AAAAAAAAOwQ/NlqJIB_xD3o/s1600-h/z1+junk+Cargo+not_resize.jpg


18/19

bring back just 7kg of load that includes six experiment kits, a kit containing 14 symbolic

items, videotapes and camera flash card as well as 200g of his personal items.

But his videotape will be the last to go as his final packing and preparation to board the Soyuz

TMA-10 spacecraft will be videotaped. Yesterday, he completed some documentation as well

as motion perception experiment on his knee for the European Space Agency.One of his activities on theISS was videotaping his life in space such as how he brushed his

teeth, shaved and prayed. We reminded him to videotape this as Muslims will be keen to see

how he conducted his prayers in space, said head of the scientific team, Prof Dr A. Rahman

A. Jamal. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar terminated the protein crystallisation, human umbilical vein

endothilial cell (Huvec) and osteoblast experiments between 24 and eight hours to docking.

He also had to ensure the cancer and microbe cells were fixated at 4 degrees centigrade to

stabilise their gene components. The osteoblast and Huvec were kept at an optimum

temperature of 37 degrees.

The experiment kits are labelled as urgent cargo while the kit with the symbolic items is not.

Upon landing, the urgent cargo will be transported by National Angkasawan Programmetechnical committee member Prof Datuk Dr Mazlan Othman. Care and speed are required to

preserve their results. The protein crystals will be sent straight to Osaka University for

analysis with an ultra-sophisticated microscope while the osteoblast and Huvec will be

brought to Russias Institute of Bio Medical Problems for analysis before being flown to

Malaysia on Oct 27. The cancer and microbe cells will go straight to Malaysian laboratories.

= == = == = == =

October 20, 2007 22:47 PM

Scientists Fear Impact Of Soyuz Landing On Science Specimens

From Abdul Rahman AhmadMOSCOW, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- A car crash. That is the force of the impact when the Soyuz

TMA-10 capsule carrying Malaysian astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh

Mustapha lands tomorrow, causing concern among scientists on the effect it may have on the

specimens of the space experiments. Life Sciences programme coordinator Prof Dr A.

Rahman A. Jamal said this was because the specimens of the experiments conducted at the

International Space Station (ISS), particularly on protein crystallisation, cannot withstand

strong vibration as the crystals can crack and break. "We must ensure that the specimens from

the bone cells have to be maintained at 30 degrees Celsius as they are live cells, and the

cancer cells and bacteria at four degrees Celsius to ensure that the gene components in the

cells remain stable. "

The protein crystals must be maintained at between four and 10 degrees Celsius lest they

freeze in extreme cold. To overcome this, the specimens are placed in temperature-controlled

containers," he told reporters here today. Prof Rahman said that to protect the specimens from

strong vibration, the containers bearing them come with padding to absorb the vibration from

the impact of the landing. "According to astronauts, the least impact we can expect is like that

of a car crash and we pray that it will not have any effect on the specimens."

Prof Rahman is confident that the specimens would be safe as the containers bearing them

would be placed under or behind the astronauts' seat, as advised by the Russian authorities.

He praised Dr Sheikh Muszaphar for successfully conducting the experiments with easealthough they were complicated, and this had impressed the Russians."The experiments on


19/19

cancer cells, bone cells, bacteria and protein crystallisation will end at 4am tomorrow. The

results of the experiments are much-awaited by the scientist community as conducting

research in space is not easy," said Prof Rahman.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar and Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov are

expected to land at 2.37pm (6.37pm Malaysian time) at Arkylk, Kazakhstan, after a journeyof three hours and 23 minutes from the time the space capsule undocks from the ISS.Dr

Sheikh Muszaphar had blasted into space on Oct 10 from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, to become

the first Malaysian in space. He had traveled with American astronaut Peggy Whitson and

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko in the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft. Whitson and

Malenchenko will remain in the ISS for six months.

Documents

Astronaut Viknesh's File