Kazakhstan astronaut: President always welcomed us on the Earth

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Kazakhstan's astronaut and national hero, Advisor to President Talgat Mussabayev has told about his first flight to the space in November 1994, Kazinform reports. "Since I am the astronaut whom President personally used to come to meet in the steppe after landing I would like to share the memories of the first flight to the space.

It was November 4, 1994. We landed in 77 km from Arkalyk. Nursultan Nazarbayev is the only president who not only saw the space craft off at Baikonur but also was there to greet us when we landed", Mussabayev said in the Space Days seminar in Astana. Talgat Mussabayev recalls that upon his landing after each of his three flights President Nursultan Nazarbayev personally was there to welcome him. "The first picture which I saw from the window is the President walking on the autumn steppe. President Nazarbayev was in a hurry to meet us. The November Arkalyk steppe and fatherly worried face of the President was a happiest moment in my life», the astronaut said.

 

"When were in the space Nursultan Abishevich used to contact the crew. It was during the ceremonial meeting in the Republic Palace. The entire audience could hear us talking. And he said to me "I saw you off and I will meet you when you land. Keep working!" And he kept his word". According to Mussabayev, the first flight was the one he remembers most.  "It was hard to land because of the crosswind. We were hit and the capsule jumped aside, and again it was hit on the manway, jumped aside and again rose on the bottom. By the radio we were told to undo the belts, and then we tried to get up. But none of us could even come off backs - we lost the habit of gravitation. It felt like we had to lift a ton. Groaning as we tried to get up we finally got out. I approached Nursultan Abishevich and reported completion of the flight. He hugged me and thanked warmly. This is what euphoria means".

 Talgat Musabayeva is 79^th astronaut of the USSR/Russia, and also the 309th astronaut of the world. He has performed three historical flights to the space. The first flight was from July 1 to November 4, 1994 as flight engineer of 'Soyuz TM-19' space craft. The second flight was performed from January 29 to August 25 1998 as the commander of 'Soyuz TM-27' and EO-25 which lasted 207 days and 12 hours. The third flight to the space was performed from April 28 till May 6, 2001 as the commander of the expedition to the ISS on Soyuz TM-32 (start) and Soyuz TM-k31 (landing) which lasted for 7 days 22 hour 4 minutes 3 seconds. In total the Kazakhstan astronaut have spent 341 days 9 hours 48 minutes and 41 seconds the in space.