Friday 8 February 2013

AzerDream1

Yesterday, Azerbaijan launched its first satellite in space. I enjoyed watching it online as I think that there is something magical about satellite launches -- taking off with an enormous speed and destroying everything on its way just to reach its dream, to reach the stars!
Although this is Azerbaijan's first satellite in space, it is not Azerbaijan's first encounter with space. Karim Karimov, a Soviet Azerbaijani scientist was one of the men behind the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin. Karim Karimov was the chairman of Soviet Aeronautics Committee who name was kept secret for a number of years due to his work with nuclear missiles.
After his retirement in 1990, he wrote a book - The Way To Space: The Notes of the Chairman of the State Committee. The book describes his work with famous Russian scientist Korolyov, their competition with the United States, the failures with the spaceships and the loss of astronauts.
Karimov was one of the many scientists who worked to make Gagarin possible. I like the fact that he was Azerbaijani, it makes me feel proud and it gives me faith that one day, there will be new Azerbaijani scientists who will send an Azerbaijani astronaut into space in a spaceship called AzerDream1.  

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