Screenshots

I'm a bit confuse, what is the difference between "Cosmonaut" column and "Rank" Column? It seems all of them fall under same category as Cosmonaut , it is just the rank is different.

Well, Malaysia does need 2 full squadrons of Sukhoi SU-30 MKM aircraft.

This is on the assumption that the RMAF will dispose of its F/A-18 aircraft, which are neither here nor there, and opt for an all-Russian combat aircraft fleet of Sukhoi SU-30 MKMs and MiG-29s (or the follow-on MiG-35s).

Of course, this will not go down well with the US, which has hopes of weaning Malaysia away from its dependence on Russian weaponry.

But with the RMAF keeping a close watch on Singapore's RSAF is acquiring, the temptation to go Russian is very strong.

screw the angkasawan thing....he's a sidekick anyway...the thing that interests me is... y it was stated in nasa website that american whitson is the commander whereas the fsar stated russian malenchenko is the commander? who's the real commander here? is this the remnants of the cold war?

Does that mean he is actually a Cosmonaut but with the rank of Flight Participant? So the Government and its supporters, who chose to highlight the first part are partially correct. Whereas, the detractors, who chose to highlight the second part are equally partially correct. Ai yah, forget it lah, it's Raya time!

With sukhoi buy, space ticket cost RM95mil. The first woman tourist paid only US$20mil, which was the price without sukhoi buy.

Just buy from the american lah, cheaper. Buy in bulk, maybe can get free insurance.

Haiya, doesn't matter what anybody call our angkasawan.

Walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, its a duck, loh!

Jeff,

I think that this is an expensive trip to produce inspiration for Malaysians. These trips are needed as otherwise Malaysians have a "complex" that they are not world-class. I, for one, think that the only way to get rid of this complex is to become world-class, and not just performs stunts like this.

As far as I know, putting someone into orbit is a showcase of engineering talent, not anything else. What does it matter that a Malaysian went to orbit? Did he get there on the talent of Malaysian aerospace engineers? I am very disappointed with this stunt, it shows AGAIN that the government is more interested in what success looks like vs. how success is achieved.

During the live telecast the English (foreign) commentator referred to the Malaysian as flying under the Russian commercial travel programme.

So much for austronaut! Should it not have been cosmounaut?

skilgannon1066,
Tell me it is not a joke RMAF trying to match RSAF closely.

So called "replenish modern plane" will do Malaysia no good if we can't maintain the weapon silo properly. An old refurbish F14 can delivery lethal punch to SU-30 with state of the AA missiles. SU-30 with no modern missiles are just flying coffin.

Flight Participant = Space Tourist???

Nothing to proud of.

Really..."memalukan"...

"Until 2003, astronauts were sponsored and trained exclusively by governments, either by the military, or by civilian space agencies. However, with the first sub-orbital flight of the privately-funded SpaceShipOne in 2004, a new category of astronaut was created: the commercial astronaut. With the rise of space tourism, NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency agreed to use the term "spaceflight participant" to distinguish those space travelers from astronauts on missions coordinated by those two agencies."- source from wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronaut

when the other space tourists made the flight i wonder if there was as much fanfare as ours?

If not, why not?

I guess IF WE COULD PAY RM50mil for an OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL those imbeciles will still be shouting MSIA BOLEH and will say it is someting to be proud of.

we are also on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expedition_16

pretty disgracing for the future generation to see this.

I really don't know what is all this huhaa about. We dedicated so much resources, money and air time for this flight participant to enjoy himself up in the orbit. When all the excitement dies down, all we Malaysians are left with is nothing more than a temporary feel good feeling (or so the promoters think), RM 100 million poorer (and maybe RM 200 million if the 2nd bozoo got a shot) and a whole lot of hot air about space aspiration.

hey bob, what's there to be malu about? It's not like you can pick anyone from the street to even be a 'space tourist'. You have to undergo the same grueling set of preparation and training. That itself is an accomplishment.

I don't care if they call me a 'freeriding complimentary passenger' even, as long as I get to go to space.

Yes, you are all right. Our guy is merely a space tourist masquerading as a 'scientist' to justify the screw up of spending close to RM100m to sent him up there. Nothing to scream about as a great feat but in Malaysia it is about who goes up and all Malaysians have already a good idea who actually will be selected even before the candidate selection was completed. Also, anyone with a RM 100mil to blow can also go into space as a tourist... but maybe a lot cheaper since there are no 'middlemen'.

It is to my opinion a 'chest-thumping' exercise by Malaysia and is merely a reflection of the corrupted genes that so desperately wants recognition. I have also read somewhere that a local Malaysia tycoon is also next to go into space but the difference is he is going on his own steam.

I wonder if our space tourist (anyone who is fit and have a lot of money to throw like the Govt esp if it is some else's money or the tax payers' money can be a space tourist) will get to become a Dato' when he gets back. I am not sure about whether the 1st Malaysian person who reached the summit of Mount Everest was made a Dato' or not but I know Azahar Mansur was made a Dato' for accomplishing the feat of sailing solo around the world. Let's see if being a space tourist can also get one.

Hmmmm, I wonder whether I will get to be made a Dato' for being the first Malaysian to pee, shit and comb my hair simultaneously. I will probably be the first in Malaysia....one can never know in Bolehland.

Yes he is a tourist - the headline use by Reuters “New crew and a tourist arrive at space station“ Malaysians of all faith please pray hard for his safe return if Najib is to welcome him back. Apparently he has no confidence on his return when before the flight he left 3 farewell messages to his parents as if he had a premonition of what is to happen. And also there is the bad omen when his mother cried hysterically just about lift off. More details at
http://powerpresent.blogspot.com/2007/10/more-pics-soyuz-docked-malaysian.html
& pics of the excited new kid on the space station talking excited and his acrobatics

I read in some mainstream newspapers, they claimed Muszaphar's the first muslim to observe religious duties in the space...

but, the Arab Prince did it in 1985...
go read yourself >> http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=102412&d=12&m=10&y=2007

taken from forum.Cari.com.my..gossip thread

------------------------

New crew and a tourist arrive at space station
Sign on San Diego
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20071012-1025-space-station.html

Malaysian tourist ready for space mission
Rusia Today
http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/15313

Soyuz craft docks at space station
dalam artikel disebut "A Soyuz craft carrying theinternational space station's first female commander and Malaysia'sfirst space traveller docked today at the orbital outpost after atwo-day trip from Russia's launch facility in Kazakhstan.
The Hindu
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/008200710130940.htm

Space Station Gets 1st Female Commander
Sheikh Muszaphar, a 35-year-old orthopedic surgeon fulfilling his owndream of space travel and his country's, was already having fun.
Associated Press

moo_t

Fyi, the RSAF is getting F-15s. And brand-new ones too.

And how do you know that the RMAF is not getting AMRAAMs from Russia for it's Sukhoi SU-30 aircraft?

And did you read the report in a recent issue of "Flight International" on a recent bilateral exercise in the UK between the RAF and the Indian Air Force where the IAF's Sukhoi SU-30 MKI aircraft performed well against the RAF's front-line combat aircraft?