Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Podrobno.uz. The Uzcosmos agency has revealed details of preparations for sending Uzbekistan's first cosmonaut into space and outlined the current stage of the project. The agency aims to carry out the flight by October 2028, in time for the International Space Congress in Samarkand, but emphasizes that the final timeline depends on several external factors.
During a press conference, agency representatives stated that Uzbekistan is currently negotiating with three countries that have full-cycle human spaceflight capabilities: the United States, Russia, and China.
Uzcosmos clarified that the US and Russia conduct flights to the International Space Station (ISS), while China operates its own orbital station, Tiangong, launched in 2021. The agency noted that no foreign cosmonauts have yet been on the Chinese station.
The first flight of an Uzbek cosmonaut is expected to be short-term, lasting between 10 and 14 days. During this time, he will become part of the orbital station crew and participate in a scientific program. The agency emphasized that discussions are underway with the Academy of Sciences, relevant ministries, and universities on possible research areas for the mission.
“It is important for us that this is not just a symbolic flight. We want our cosmonaut to conduct an innovative experiment in orbit and return with concrete results,” Uzcosmos representatives said.
The final decision on which country will host the project will be made by a special government commission. The agency noted that all possible cooperation scenarios are being explored.
The first stage will be candidate selection. Applicants must undergo rigorous testing for age parameters, health, and psychological stability. After that, the primary candidate will travel to one of the partner countries for training.
Training is estimated to take six to nine months. Uzcosmos noted that the training will include detailed study of all spacecraft and station systems, as the cosmonaut will be a full crew member responsible for performing tasks in orbit. However, the final say in selection remains with the foreign partner, as they will provide training for the future mission participant.
The agency specifically stated that the first flight will not involve a spacewalk. According to Uzcosmos representatives, such tasks are only performed during long-duration expeditions lasting more than six months.
“Our desire is to send the cosmonaut before the Samarkand congress and return him alive and healthy. This person will go down in the country's history and become an example for young people,” the agency stressed.
Additionally, Uzcosmos announced a change in the launch date of the Samarkand-2028 satellite. Originally scheduled for May 31, the launch was postponed to June 20 due to unscheduled naval exercises near the Chinese city of Qingdao.
The agency explained that the satellite is fully manufactured by the Chinese side, while Uzbekistan is developing its own artificial intelligence module for it. This technology will allow satellite images to be processed directly on board and transmit ready-made analytics to Earth, reducing data processing time by 24–48 hours.
The name Samarkand-2028, as noted by Uzcosmos, was chosen to promote the International Space Congress to be held in Uzbekistan in 2028.
Source: podrobno.uz