Program Angkasawan       /////

http://www.angkasawan.com.my/mainatsb/atsb/about.html

Program Angkasawan ialah program kebangsaan Malaysia untuk menghantar seorang rakyat Malaysia ke angkasa lepas. Beliau akan menyertai dua angkasawan lain menaiki kapal angkasa Soyuz milik Rusia yang akan berlabuh di Stesyen Angkasa Antarabangsa, yang sedang di dalam orbit mengelilingi Bumi pada ketinggian 360 km. Angkasawan negara akan menjalankan beberapa kajian saintifik di atas stesyen angkasa tersebut.

Program ini ialah sebahagian dari perjanjian imbang balik antara Malaysia dan Rusia berkaitan pembelian jet-jet pejuang Sukhoi-30MKM buatan Rusia oleh Malaysia . Melalui pakej ini, kerajaan Rusia bersetuju melatih dua rakyat Malaysia , dan salah seorang daripadanya akan terbang ke angkasa lepas manakala seorang lagi bertindak sebagai bantuan. Kerajaan Rusia akan menanggung segala kos.

Secara rasminya beliau akan digelar Angkasawan, iaitu perkataan Bahasa Malaysia bagi terma astronaut atau kosmonaut. Dua calon Angkasawan yang ketika ini sedang menjalani latihan dipilih daripada 11,000 pemohon melalui satu proses pemilihan terbuka yang bermula dalam bulan Oktober 2003 dan berakhir September 2006.

Program Angkasawan ialah satu langkah raksaksa bagi Malaysia dalam membangunkan keupayaan saintifik dan teknologinya di samping membina imej yang mantap di peringkat antarabangsa. Program ini diharap melonjak rakyat Malaysia membina minat dalam pengajian angkasa khususnya dan sains dan teknologi amnya. Ia juga diharap menggalakkan industri saintifik dan angkasa tempatan. Ia juga direka untuk menanam semangat yakin boleh di kalangan golongan muda negara.

Program Angkasawan hanyalah satu langkah dalam penglibatan Malaysia di angkasa. Program Angkasawan, asasnya, menandakan permulaan satu bab yang baru dan menarik dalam sejarah Malaysia.

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http://www.angkasawan.com.my/mainatsb/atsb2/about.html

The Angkasawan Programme is the Malaysian national programme to send the first Malaysian to space. The Malaysian will join two other cosmonauts aboard a Soyuz space craft that will rendezvous with the International Space Station, which is in orbit around the Earth at an altitude of approximately 360 km. The Angkasawan will carry out scientific researches on board the space station.

The programme is part of an offset agreement between Malaysia and Russia in relation to Malaysia’s purchase of Russian-made Sukhoi-30MKM fighter jets. Through this package, the Russian government agreed to train two Malaysians, one of which will make the journey while the other one will act as his backup. The Russian Government will bear the costs.

The Malaysian astronaut is officially called the Angkasawan, which means astronaut in the Malaysian language. The two Angkasawan candidates who are now undergoing training were selected out of over 11,000 applicants in an open selection process which started in October 2003 and ended in September 2006.

The Angkasawan Programme is a giant step for Malaysia in developing its scientific and technological capabilities and in buiding its international image. The programme is hoped to spur Malaysians to develop interests in space studies in particular and science and technology in general, and encourage local scientific and space industries. It is also designed to instil a sense of can-do spirit especially amongst the younger Malaysians.

The Angkasawan Programme is only a step in Malaysia’s involvement in space. The Angkasawan Programme, in essence, marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in the history of Malaysia.

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http://dictionary.reference.com/

| angkasa - sky, heaven | menghantar - | angkasa lepas - space | manaiki - mount | milik - belong | berlabuh - at anchor (of a ship) anchored | mengelilingi - circle, orbit | kajian - |

| bagian - a small part of a larger piece | perjanjian - agreement | imbang - | balik - | berkaitan - related | pejuang - fighter | melatih - coach, train | bertindak - act | menanggung - pay the expenses of |

| gelar - title | terma - | calon - candidate | ketika - while, when | pemohon - melalui - through, via | terbuka - open |

| raksasa - giant | membangunkan - arouse | upaya - effort | samping - side | membina - raise | mantap - firm, level | melonjak - grow or increase rapidly | minat - interest | pengajian - | amnya - | pada umumnya - in general | menggalakkan - | direka - | semangat - enthusiasm, passion | yakin - certain, 'cock'sure, confident, positive, sure, trust | boleh - can, may | kalangan - society | golongan - class |

| terlibat - involve | menandakan - signify | bab - chapter |