September 2008

The Chinese astronaut Zhai Zhigang made the nation’s first spacewalk on Saturday,floating outside the Shenzhou VII spacecraft for 18 minutes as it orbited the earth. BEIJING — A Chinese astronaut orbiting the earth lifted himself out of the Shenzhou VII spacecraft Saturday afternoon and performed the nation’s first spacewalk, another milestone in China’s space program. Zhai Zhigang, 42, pulled himself out of the orbital module about 4:40 p.m. Beijing time, latched himself to a handrail […]

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Lonchakov (C), US astronaut Michael Fincke (R) and his compatriot, space tourist Richard Garriott STAR CITY, Russia (AFP) — US multi-millionaire businessman and space tourist in training Richard Garriott said Tuesday it was his lifelong dream to go into orbit, following in the footsteps of his astronaut father. “Every youngster in the world” wants to fly into space, Garriott said at the Star City cosmonaut training centre near Moscow, where he is

KUANTAN: The country’s space programme should focus on education and ensure sound basic knowledge in mathematics and science subjects at the earliest age possible, Angkasawan Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor said. He added that there was more to the space programme than just sending people into space. “It is about how to get the technology, acquiring the knowledge and fuelling the interest and imagination of the young. “It is about moulding a strong grassroots who