Salizhan Sharipov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov
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| Born | 24 August 1964 |
| Status | Retired |
| Nationality | Uzbek Russian |
| Occupation | Air Force Pilot |
| Awards | Hero of the Russian Federation |
| Space career | |
| Roscosmos cosmonaut | |
| Rank | Colonel |
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Time in space
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201d 14h 50m |
| Selection | 1990 Cosmonaut Group |
| Missions | STS-89, Soyuz TMA-5 (Expedition 10) |
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Mission insignia
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Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov, born on August 24, 1964, is a retired cosmonaut from Kyrgyzstan. He has Uzbek roots. Sharipov is famous for traveling to space two times. He also performed two exciting spacewalks. He helped with a science project about using ultrasound in space. Sharipov stopped working as a cosmonaut on July 18, 2008.
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About Salizhan Sharipov
Salizhan Sharipov was the first cosmonaut from the country of Uzbekistan. He comes from both Uzbek and Tajik families. He is married to Nadezhda Mavlyanovna Sharipova. They have a daughter named Nigara, born in 1988, and a son named Zhakhongir, born in 1992. Salizhan enjoys playing football and reading books. His father, Mr. Shakirzhan Sharipov, lives in Uzgen.
Education and Training
Sharipov finished the Soviet Air Force Pilot School in 1987. After that, he became a pilot-instructor. He taught eight young pilots how to fly. He has flown for over 950 hours. He has experience flying planes like the MiG-21 and L-39.
In 1994, he earned a degree in cartography from Moscow State University. Cartography is the art and science of making maps.
Awards and Special Honors
Salizhan Sharipov has received many important awards. He was named a Pilot-Cosmonaut of the Russian Federation in 1988. In 1998, he became a Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic. This is a very high honor in Kyrgyzstan.
He also received the Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Kyrgyz Republic. This medal is also known as the Ak Shumkar Medal. He has medals from the Russian Federation Air Force. NASA also gave him a Space Flight Medal in 1998.
To celebrate his achievements, the Kyrgyz Republic made a special postal stamp with Salizhan Sharipov's picture on it. This happened on April 20, 2005.
Becoming a Cosmonaut
The Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) chose Sharipov to become a cosmonaut-candidate in 1990. He finished his general space training in 1992. On March 11, 1992, he officially became a test cosmonaut.
He trained to be a crew commander for flights to the Mir space station. From August 1997 to January 1998, he trained at the Johnson Space Center. This training was for the STS-89 mission.
Space Shuttle Mission: STS-89
Sharipov was a mission specialist on the STS-89 crew. This mission took place from January 22 to January 31, 1998. It was the eighth time a Space Shuttle docked with the Mir space station.
During this mission, the crew moved over 8,000 pounds of equipment and water. They transferred these items from the Space Shuttle Endeavour to Mir. STS-89 also brought astronaut Andy Thomas to Mir. It brought David Wolf back to Earth. The mission lasted 8 days, 19 hours, and 47 seconds. The shuttle traveled 3.6 million miles around the Earth.
Life on the International Space Station: Expedition 10
Sharipov also served as a flight engineer for Expedition 10. This mission went to the International Space Station (ISS). The Soyuz TMA-5 spacecraft carried Sharipov, cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, and NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao. It launched from the Baikonour cosmodrome on October 14, 2004.
After two days of flying, the Soyuz spacecraft docked with the ISS. This happened on October 16, 2004. Sharipov joined the Expedition 10 crew. Their main job was to keep the ISS working well.
While in space, Sharipov did many science experiments. He worked on a project called SRS. This project aimed to create new materials using low temperatures in space. He also did experiments with stem cells. These experiments looked into possible treatments for HIV/AIDS. He also studied the Earth's environment from space.
Sharipov spent 192 days in space. He returned to Earth on April 24, 2005. He landed with Leroy Chiao and ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori. Their Soyuz capsule landed about 90 kilometers north of Arkalyk.
Spacewalks
Salizhan Sharipov has completed two spacewalks. He spent a total of 10 hours and 34 minutes outside the ISS.
First Spacewalk
Sharipov's first spacewalk was on January 26, 2005. He and NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao left the ISS from the Pirs airlock. They wore Russian Orlan spacesuits with red stripes.
They worked quickly to finish their tasks. They installed a new work platform outside the Zvezda module. They also tested a robot. Sharipov and Chiao moved a Japanese experiment called MPAC SEEDS. They also connected an antenna for the robot test bed. They looked at the ISS vents. These vents are used by the station's oxygen generator. The spacewalk lasted 5 hours and 28 minutes.
Second Spacewalk
Sharipov's second spacewalk was on March 28, 2005. He and Leroy Chiao used the airlock of the Pirs Docking Compartment. They installed three antennas on the Zvezda Service Module. These antennas were for the ATV spacecraft. They also installed a Global Positioning System (GPS) antenna for the ATV.
During this spacewalk, Sharipov and Chiao launched a small Russian experiment. It was called Nanosatellite. Sharipov pushed it away from the ISS. This tiny satellite was about a foot long and weighed 11 pounds. It had a transmitter. The goal was to learn how to control small satellites. The spacewalk lasted 4 hours and 30 minutes.
See also
In Spanish: Salijan Sharipov para niños
- List of Heroes of the Russian Federation
