Minister Gajdoš awards astronauts of ʻŠtefánikʼ Space Mission
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- Date: 20.02.2019
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It was exactly 20 years ago (20 February 1999) that SVK Air Force pilot (then) Maj Ivan Bella boarded the Soyuz TM-29 spacecraft and took off into space, thus becoming Slovakiaʼs first and only astronaut to date. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of his space mission, Col Ivan Bella was awarded the Slovak Armed Forces 25th Anniversary Commemorative Medal by Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš during a medal award ceremony today (20 February 2019). Among other awardees were also his fellow astronauts of the ʻŠtefánikʼ Space Mission who participated in a conference entitled “20 years on – Slovakia on the way to ESA [European Space Agency] – challenges and opportunities” in Bratislava earlier today.
In his remarks at the medal award ceremony, Minister Gajdoš said: “With the flight into space by the first Slovak astronaut Ivan Bella, the Slovak Republic joined in with other countries which were successfully involved in scientific space research. It was a unique opportunity, one which will, most probably, never be repeated again.”
The Slovak Armed Forces 25th Anniversary Commemorative Medal was awarded to the astronauts of the ʻŠtefánikʼ Space Mission: Viktor Mikhailovich Afanasyev (RUS), Sergei Vasilyevich Avdeyev (RUS), Ivan Bella (SVK), Michal Fulier (SVK), Claudie Haigneré (FRA), Jean-Pierre Haigneré (FRA), Gennady Ivanovich Padalka (RUS), Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov (KGZ). Of them, only Padalka was not able to attend the ceremony.
In his remarks, Col Ivan Bella thanked his fellow astronauts for upholding the good name of Slovakia and all those who helped him organise the conference in Bratislava. “It was my dream to thank the people who helped make the Slovak Republic more visible [in the world] 20 years ago, not only during the flight but also during the entire preparation phase,” he said.
The ʻŠtefánikʼ Space Mission commemorative event, accompanied by the conference, was organised by the ʻDr. M. R. Štefánikʼ Slovak Aviation Association under the leadership of its President, Colonel (Rtd) Jozef Takács. Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš lent his patronage to the event.
In his remarks at the medal award ceremony, Minister Gajdoš said: “With the flight into space by the first Slovak astronaut Ivan Bella, the Slovak Republic joined in with other countries which were successfully involved in scientific space research. It was a unique opportunity, one which will, most probably, never be repeated again.”
The Slovak Armed Forces 25th Anniversary Commemorative Medal was awarded to the astronauts of the ʻŠtefánikʼ Space Mission: Viktor Mikhailovich Afanasyev (RUS), Sergei Vasilyevich Avdeyev (RUS), Ivan Bella (SVK), Michal Fulier (SVK), Claudie Haigneré (FRA), Jean-Pierre Haigneré (FRA), Gennady Ivanovich Padalka (RUS), Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov (KGZ). Of them, only Padalka was not able to attend the ceremony.
In his remarks, Col Ivan Bella thanked his fellow astronauts for upholding the good name of Slovakia and all those who helped him organise the conference in Bratislava. “It was my dream to thank the people who helped make the Slovak Republic more visible [in the world] 20 years ago, not only during the flight but also during the entire preparation phase,” he said.
The ʻŠtefánikʼ Space Mission commemorative event, accompanied by the conference, was organised by the ʻDr. M. R. Štefánikʼ Slovak Aviation Association under the leadership of its President, Colonel (Rtd) Jozef Takács. Defence Minister Peter Gajdoš lent his patronage to the event.
