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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| First S Korean in space launches | First S Korean in space launches |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Soyuz rocket carrying South Korea's first astronaut, Yi So-yeon, has launched successfully on its voyage to the International Space Station (ISS). | The Soyuz rocket carrying South Korea's first astronaut, Yi So-yeon, has launched successfully on its voyage to the International Space Station (ISS). |
| Ms Yi and two Russian cosmonauts blasted off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur space centre at 1116 GMT. | Ms Yi and two Russian cosmonauts blasted off from Kazakhstan's Baikonur space centre at 1116 GMT. |
| The 29-year-old bio-engineer will spend about 10 days in space and conduct a series of scientific tests. | The 29-year-old bio-engineer will spend about 10 days in space and conduct a series of scientific tests. |
| The launch makes South Korea the ninth Asian country to have had an astronaut in space. | |
| Before the launch, Ms Yi had boarded the rocket flashing a thumbs-up and saying she felt "great". | Before the launch, Ms Yi had boarded the rocket flashing a thumbs-up and saying she felt "great". |
| Ms Yi was chosen from about 36,000 applicants for the mission, which is costing South Korea about $20m (£10m). | Ms Yi was chosen from about 36,000 applicants for the mission, which is costing South Korea about $20m (£10m). |
| Initially the back-up astronaut, she was moved up after Russian officials said the first-choice, 31-year-old Ko San, had broken space centre rules. | Initially the back-up astronaut, she was moved up after Russian officials said the first-choice, 31-year-old Ko San, had broken space centre rules. |
| 'Wow' | 'Wow' |
| She is flying in a Russian Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft alongside flight engineer Oleg Kononenko, 43, and Sergei Volkov, 34, the son of a famous Soviet cosmonaut. | She is flying in a Russian Soyuz TMA-12 spacecraft alongside flight engineer Oleg Kononenko, 43, and Sergei Volkov, 34, the son of a famous Soviet cosmonaut. |
| At a news conference on Monday, journalists asked Ms Yi what she would do when she arrived at the ISS. | At a news conference on Monday, journalists asked Ms Yi what she would do when she arrived at the ISS. |
| Ms Yi was chosen from about 36,000 applicants for the historic flight Yi So-yeon training | Ms Yi was chosen from about 36,000 applicants for the historic flight Yi So-yeon training |
| "I guess first of all I am going to shout: 'Wow!'," she replied. | "I guess first of all I am going to shout: 'Wow!'," she replied. |
| She hoped that her spaceflight would help ease ties between the two Koreas. | She hoped that her spaceflight would help ease ties between the two Koreas. |
| "I hope someday they will be one, and I hope the North Korean people will be happy with my flight," she said. | "I hope someday they will be one, and I hope the North Korean people will be happy with my flight," she said. |
| The first Asian astronaut (or cosmonaut) was Vietnam's Pham Tuan, who travelled on a Soviet Soyuz mission in 1980. | The first Asian astronaut (or cosmonaut) was Vietnam's Pham Tuan, who travelled on a Soviet Soyuz mission in 1980. |
| Since then, citizens of Mongolia, Afghanistan, Japan, India, Kazakhstan, China and Malaysia have also journeyed into space. | |
| Ms Yi is scheduled to return to Earth on 19 April with the outgoing crew of the ISS. | Ms Yi is scheduled to return to Earth on 19 April with the outgoing crew of the ISS. |