VietNamNet Bridge – The information on recruiting the second Vietnamese astronaut appeared in early April and it is being doubted by the online community as the trick of the April fool.
The recruitment ads on Vietnamworks website.
The recruitment ads was posted on the “Job Search” of Vietnamworks, a big human resources company, on April 3 and it has been shared by Facebook users. As being described, the selected person will join a training course with 107 applicants from 62 countries around the world to go to the space.
Not long after that, this information became a hot topic when the majority wondered about its authenticity because after many years, hero Pham Tuan is still the only Vietnamese astronaut. Some people said that this is echo of the April Fool.
However, an authoritative source told VNExpress online newswire that the recruitment is true and it is organized by a prestigious organization. They will recruit around 107 candidates in 62 countries to participate in a training course for astronauts and they will be selected to fly into space. The specific plan will be announced early next week.
Pham Tuan, Vietnam’s only astronaut.
On 13/7/1980, cosmonaut Pham Tuan was launched into space from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, on Soyuz 37 spaceship, with Soviet astronaut Viktor Vassilyevich Gorbatko. He returned to Earth on July 31 on Soyuz 36 spaceship. In the space of 7 days, 20 hours and 42 minutes, Pham Tuan made a total of 142 orbits around the Earth.
During that time, Pham Tuan conducted experiments on dissolving minerals in zero gravity conditions, experiments on water hyacinth. He also photographed Vietnam from the Earth orbit.
With this achievement, he was awarded the title of Hero of Labor in 1980, together with the Ho Chi Minh Order at the age of 33. To date, he is still the only Vietnamese who went into space.
Compiled by Na Son