When the countdown hits the T-7 days mark for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the world's first human space flight early on Tuesday morning (IST), a rocket will thunder off the launch pad at Baikonour carrying three crew members to the International Space Station. It has been designated as Expedition 27.
The commander of the Soyuz spacecraft is Alexander Samokutyaev, the Nasa flight engineer is Ron Garan and the Russian flight engineer is Andrey Borisenko.
What is special about this mission? It is indeed dedicated to none other than Yuri Gagarin, and the Soyuz spacecraft has been named as Gagarin. It will dock with the Poisk module in the Russian segment of the space station on April 6. They will join three others who have been at the space station since December 2010.
In a Nasa pre-flight interview, Samokutyaev recalled that when he was studying in kg, the school presented the youngsters with model rockets which was three or four metres. He said that the model reminded him of the rocket in which Yuri flew to space on April 12,1961.
He said: ``When I looked at the rocket, I understood that it was mine and I protected the vehicle, I protected that rocket and everybody called me Gagarin and that was the moment when I understood that I wanted to become a cosmonaut.''
The commander told the interviewer that he likes hockey in the same way Gagarin enjoyed playing the game. ``I am very proud to launch into space during the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight,'' he remarked.
``The fact that the mission coincided with the 50th anniversary of Gagarin's flight was one of the most important and most interesting part of our flight. We have planned several activities, we will not be discussing them because this is a secret for now and we'll be able to celebrate these important dates for everyone--- ( perhaps this is why the Russian consulate in Mumbai has yet to publicise its plan for the 50th anniversary programme!)
Ron Garan has blogged that the ``buzz around the 50th anniversary of the first human spaceflight is really starting to pick up. Many dignatries are starting to arrive and we have been conducting a lot of media interview concerning the historical significance of this anniversary,'' he said.
Says Ron: ``For me it is an incredibly significant milestone in the history of humanity. On that April 12,1961, humanity made a giant leap in our evolution as a species. We instantly became a species that was no longer confined to the boundaries of our earth. On that day we were no longer a single planet species,'' he said.
Emphasising that Gagarin's flight led to international co-operation, he observed: ``There is no doubt in my mind that the world is safer and more peaceful place today than it would be otherwise if we had not taken that first step into space.''
A part of the rocket has a large painting of Gagarin, and the name ``Gagarin'' is painted in large red letters along with the emblem designating the mission as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the first human space flight.
``Words cannot describe what an honour it is to have our launch coincide with the 50th anniversary of humanity's first step into cosmos. As I stood there and looked at this incredible sight, it dawned on me that 50 years ago one nation launched one man ino space and made that first step towards the human exploration of space. Today three crew members representing many nations are partnering the space station,'' he added.
Good luck and God Speed.
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