22. Soyuz Docks with ISS

Perfect blast-off. Perfect docking. Perfect timing. A great Russian Technology. Muszaphar becomes Angkasawan. A Malaysian Achievement. Congratulations to all for having made it possible.



Malaysia's first Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor floating in the International Space Station after talking to VIPs at Moscow Mission Control. The Soyuz TMA-11 capsule docked at the ISS at 10.50pm (Malaysian time) Friday - The Star.



Docked to the ISS is the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft (left) in this image from NASA TV yesterday. Docked alongside the Soyuz TMA-11 is Progress resupply ship (right) - Reuters.


“I feel good” – those were the first words from Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor in Russian to those back on Earth a few minutes after he entered the International Space Station (ISS).

Malaysia's first Angkasawan entered the ISS at 12.33am Malaysian time after the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft, which brought him into space successfully, docked exactly an hour and 43 minutes earlier.

The spacecraft has been orbiting for almost 47 hours after lifting off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan at 9.22pm Malaysian time on Wednesday.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar was the second of the three in the spacecraft to enter the ISS, after the Expedition 16 commander, American Peggy Whitson.

Russian flight engineer Yuri Malechencko was the last person to emerge from the hatch between spacecraft capsule and the ISS.

The three were joined by the crew from the ISS – Feodor Yuchikin (commander and engineer), Oleg Kotov (medical doctor) and American Clay Anderson (mission specialist) – for the customary group photograph and conference with the Mission Control Centre here.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar was the second to speak, after Malechencko.

He took a question from Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, who was also at the Mission Control Centre.

Dr Jamaluddin started off by wishing him and asking how it felt to put the map of Malaysia in space and Dr Sheikh Muszaphar replied: “Walaikumsalam. I am having a very good time with my friends from America and Russia up here. My love to all Malaysians out there.”

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar's father Datuk Sheikh Mustapha Shukor was then given the microphone and he said in Russian, “This is your pa talking. I love you very much. Your brother and mother are here.”

His son replied: “I love you. I hope to see you in 10 days' time. I hope to share my experience with you and all Malaysians.”

Sheikh Mustapha had followed his son and started learning Russian after his son was picked as one of two Angkasawan candidates.

When both father and son conversed in Russian, they received a round of applause from everyone at the Mission Control Centre and also those aboard the ISS.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar then wished his parents and all Malaysians “Selamat Hari Raya.”
The docking of the spacecraft was jointly monitored by NASA in Houston and the Mission Control Centre - Jane Ritikos, The Star.