Токтар Аубакиров

                                            TOKTAR AUBAKIROV

(BORN IN 1946)

    Despite the fact that the territory of Kazakhstan is the first spaceport of the planet - their national astronauts they are still not there.

    However, many references called the Kazakh cosmonauts Aubakirova and Musabayev. Indeed, the fall of 1991, a flight Toktar Aubakirova the so-called program of Kazakhstan. And he had a backup Talgat Musabayev. But at the time of flight (2 - October 10, 1991) did not exist independent state of Kazakhstan. And Aubakirov and Musabayev were Soviet citizens. It would therefore be correct to consider Aubakirova last Soviet cosmonaut.

    However, in the Kazakhstan Toktar Aubakirov and Talgat Musabayev officially recognized, respectively, first and second cosmonauts the Republic of Kazakhstan.

    It should also be noted that during his first (from July 1 to November 4, 1994) and second (from 29 January to 25 August 1998) Flight Talgat Musabayev performed at the station "Mir" scientific experiments on the Kazakhstan program "Flight" and " Flight-M2. "

    First National cosmonaut of 4 (2 main candidates, and 2 more in reserve) was formed in Kazakhstan until December 2002. And from June 16, 2003 two candidates for the astronauts - Mukhtar Aymahanov and Aydin Aimbetov - were held in the OCP RGNII CPC, together with Russian cosmonaut candidates set in 2003. At a meeting of the Interdepartmental Qualification Committee (MVKK) July 5, 2005 they both received the qualification "test cosmonaut."

    The issue of possible flights Kazakh cosmonaut to the ISS addressed at the meeting of the presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan in December 2007. However, on February 16, 2008 the head of the National Space Agency of Kazakhstan (Kazkosmos) Talgat Musabayev in an interview to "Interfax-Kazakhstan" said Kazakhstan has suspended its participation in the creation of multi-purpose Laboratory Module (MLM) FGB-2 to the ISS - "to complete study of this issue. " Take part in the equipment of the research module to Kazakhstan in 2005 and the Federal Space Agency asked them to Khrunichev. Khrunichev. "Then we figured that since much invest and make their own equipment, which is planned to be installed on the FGB-2, we too become participants in the ISS project. Nothing like that. To their equipment, we would have only indirect access "- he said, explaining that" the use of scientific equipment Kazakh cosmonauts problematic because of uncertainty to the prospects of their flight to the ISS. "

    During the visit of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the end of May 2008 in Kazakhstan, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has once again raised the issue of flight Kazakh cosmonaut. Medvedev said that Russia will help to ensure that Kazakhstan's astronauts flew into space.

    June 16, 2008 National Space Agency of Kazakhstan issued a press release in which it was alleged. that the leadership of Russian Space Agency has committed itself to contribute to the solution of the timing operations of Kazakh cosmonauts on the Board of the participating countries of the International Space Station, which is scheduled for July 27 this year. In addition, the report said, "Kazkosmos discussions with interested parties the possibility of organizing the Kazakh space expedition on a commercial basis." The same day, General Manager Spase Energy Nurlan Aselhan reported that in March 2008 with the company Space Adventures, organizing tourist flights into space, talks were held about a possible collaboration. In particular, discussed the option of selling seats for a representative of Kazakhstan in the "Union", 2010-2011. "Now there is a discussion of such initiatives," - he said. However N.Aselhan stated that "there are two trained professional Kazakh cosmonaut" candidates who may be considered for flight on a commercial basis, adding that "the Republic can in this business to make appropriate means." "There is a proposal to prepare its national program and for this purpose to buy the ship" Union "as a whole. Just recently the company Space Adventures announced that an agreement was reached with the manufacturer of the "Union" to acquire the "Union." That such a path, and we intend to go ", - concluded N.Aselhan.

    It was expected that the final clarity on this issue should occur in late July 2008, when the regular meeting of representatives of all member countries of the ISS program, and among other matters, consideration of the planned flight to the ISS representatives of countries not participating in the program. However, while no information about it has not appeared.

    October 14, 2008 Head of the Russian Space Agency's manned space programs, said Alexei Krasnov, in October 2009 on the ISS instead of the first Russian space tourist will fly cosmonaut Vladimir Gruzdev of Kazakhstan. "At present, negotiations are underway with Kazakhstan to send them to the cosmonaut on board the" Soyuz "the fall of 2009, and there is no reason to doubt that the flight will not take place," - he said. According to Krasnov, the representatives of Kazakhstan have expressed interest in full on all matters, including the financing of the astronaut. "Therefore we do not consider any other candidates as unprofessional space flight participant" - said Krasnov.

    Finally, November 13, 2008 Chairman of the National Space Agency of Kazakhstan Talgat Musabayev said at the opening of the Astana meeting of intergovernmental commission on cooperation between Russia and Kazakhstan, "Agreements have been reached and work began to prepare for the implementation of Kazakhstan's space flight, an astronaut on the Russian segment of International Space Station, scheduled in October 2009". He thanked the Russian Federal Space Agency "for the fine opportunity to commit short-term mission in the Kazakh cosmonaut visiting, despite the tight schedule of flights both in the federal space program and the program of international cooperation."