Week Ended: April 18, 2008

First Korean Astronaut Docks in Space

South Korea sent its first astronaut—only the second Asian woman in history—into space last week on board a Russian Soyuz rocket. The 29-year-old bioengineer, Yi So Yeon, arrived safely for a 10-day research mission at the International Space Station, and has been conducting several scientific experiments. Her work includes taking detailed photographs of the Korean peninsula, in order to observe the movements of yellow dust storms from China and Mongolia that cover South Korea each spring.

Yi, who recently earned a doctorate in bioscience from a top South Korean technology university, had been a backup candidate for the space mission, after coming in second place in a nationwide government competition open to almost any South Korean. A South Korea male computer science engineer had been selected for the trip last August, beating 36,000 contestants. Yi, however, was picked to replace him last month after Russian space authorities accused him of violating training rules. She is set to return to Earth on April 19. While in the company of fellow crew members from Russia and the United States, Yi promoted popular Korean fare in space last weekend, including instant noodles, kimchi and a red pepper paste known as gochujang.

The nearly $30 million mission, funded mostly by South Korean government (including a $5 million sponsorship from a Korean broadcast network), makes South Korea the 35th country to send an astronaut into space.The Korea Aerospace Research Institute is said to be preparing for the launch of an unmanned rocket this December, which was partly built by Korean engineers. Thus far, 34 countries, including Vietnam and Afghanistan, have sent more than 470 astronauts into space. Fewer than 50 among them were women.

"The Earth looks so blue, beautiful, idle and peaceful. It makes me regret the way I have lived there, always competing with others," Yi told reporters via radio transmission after blast-off last week. "There is no nationality in space, since we must cooperate in order to survive. I believe it is the same on Earth."

Sources: The Korea Times, various news reports

 

 

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