Is space exploration, merely an event or is it an issue? How does one differentiate between an issue and an event? For example, the accident which had to the death of Princess Diana (1997) was an event; but what was the issue surrounding that accident or event? Malaysia’s space exploration which we are proud of is merely an event. The real issue concerns the technology resulting from space exploration. Malaysia’s first astronaut created prime time news when he blasted off into space on board a Russian made spacecraft. The entire nation tuned in to watch the event broadcast live on television.
Historically, Laika (meaning ‘one who barks’ in Russian) was the first dog (and the first animal) in space. She traveled into space on Sputnik 2 on November 3, 1957.
Monkeynauts referred to monkeys which were sent into space. The first monkey in sub-orbital space was a squirrel monkey named Gordo. Gordo was launched into space on December 13, 1958, in the nose cone of a US Army rocket Jupiter AM-13. Gordo fared well during the flight, but drowned in the Atlantic Ocean when the flotation device on the nose cone failed to deploy causing the craft to sink.
The next two monkeys in space, Able and Baker, were launched on May 28, 1959 (Jupiter AM-18). Able was a 7 pound (3.18 kilogram) rhesus monkey, and Baker, a 11 ounce (311.9 gram) squirrel monkey. Both were successfully retrieved after a 300 mile sub-orbital flight which lasted 16 minutes.
It would appear that we are more interested in celebrating the space exploration, the event. We know nothing about space technology. We cannot even touch one button on the spacecraft because is not made in Malaysia.
The celebration of this national event dominated the Malaysian media, devoting dozens of pages to the launch, portraying photographs showing a smiling Dr Muszaphar inside the craft with a Malaysian flag proudly emblazoned on the sleeve of his spacesuit. The crowd of more than 2,000 people, many in Malay national costume, cheered wildly at lift-off. The event was one of about a dozen public screenings held in Kuala Lumpur to coincide with numerous parties and activities which were organized across the country.
At the capital’s Merdeka Square, hundreds of space fans yelled out the national slogan “Malaysia Boleh” as the spacecraft headed into orbit. The outpouring of national pride reached cyberspace, with Malaysia’s lively blogosphere devoting wide coverage to the event. It appeared that we were attempting to gamer as much publicity for our people because we seemed more interested in the event. Now there are suggestions that we intend to launch a second astronaut into space at a cost of US$30mil (RM102mil) according to The Star – Tuesday September 25, 2007). Will this be celebrated as yet a second (2nd) national event?
For decades, only the United States and the former Soviet Union were able to foot the necessary financial and human resources to confront the “final frontier”. Other countries took longer to actualize similar ambitions. Today, several countries are eager to join the club, but so far only China is able to independently launch manned missions to the frontiers of space.
According to the China Daily Friday 19 October 2007, China has already set out plans for its space technology. These plans outlined nine major missions for aerospace development. The nine missions are to be completed by 2010. They are: a) to enhance the capabilities of scientific research on space products and to shorten the current research cycle. b) to implement key scientific and technological projects, including manned flight, a Moon probe, a high resolution Earth-observation system, a Compass Navigation Satellite System, and a new generation of carrier rockets. c) to improve innovation capabilities and overcome key technical difficulties such as satellite payloads and deep space exploration. d) to fasten the development of space technology, expand the application of satellites, and kick off research projects to make space products more accountable and longer lasting e) to optimize the structure of the space industry, to form a complete industrial chain from satellite manufacturing to it projection and application, and to promote satellite exports. f) to continue research on space science and to establish a space environment monitoring and forecasting system. g) to strengthen industrial management and sustain a good environment for space development h) to strengthen education and foster talent. i) to strengthen international exchange and cooperation
Advanced camera and X-ray spectrometers have been installed in the orbiter in order to map three-dimensional images of the lunar surface, analyze dust on the moon and to study comparisons between the Earth and the Moon.
What has been Malaysia’s contribution towards the space project besides funding it? Does Malaysia truly benefit significantly other than having a colourful page in our record books? Is it of significant value for being in the list for being one of the few countries able to send a Malaysian into space?
By merely sending off an individual into space does not make Malaysia advanced in terms of space technology. What we learn, contribute and achieve later on is of significant value for future advancement. This is perhaps what Malaysia should focus on.