Government Yet To Decide On Soyuz Spaceship Purchase - Bernama

SUBANG JAYA, May 18 (Bernama) -- The government has yet to decide whether to buy the spaceship Soyuz TMA-11 in which astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha flew to the International Space Station (ISS) last year.

Deputy Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Fadillah Yusof said negotiations were still being held with the Russian Space Agency on the offer.

"If we buy it, we want them to transfer the spaceship technology," he told reporters after attending a dinner in conjunction with the 16th World Congress on Information Technology's golf tournament here Sunday.

He said the government would consider the purchase if the price was right and after it had studied on the benefit in terms of the technology transfer and space exploration to the country.

On the second astronaut programme, he said a study on the space mission would be ready next month, after which it would be tabled to the Cabinet for consideration.

[From http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news.php?id=333882]