Materia Medica Malaysiana

Russia Ready To Share Space Medical Technology With M'sia

KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- Russia has expressed the desire to share its space medical technology with Malaysia, which plans to send its first astronaut into space in 2007.
Scientist Vladimir Pochuev of the Gagarin Russian State Research and Test Centre for Cosmonaut Training said his country was ready to help Malaysia in advanced space medicine.
"We can share our experience in space medicine not only with Malaysian astronauts but with any other Malaysians who are interested in this high-end space medicine," he told reporters after delivering a lecture on the "Human Space Flight Programme of the Russian Federation" at the National Planetarium here Thursday night.
Pochuev, who is on a three-day visit with two other Russian scientists, is in Malaysia to give inputs to the National Space Agency on the selection of candidates for Malaysia's ambitious space programme.
He also said that the space programme should not be viewed as merely an entertainment project but a serious development in high-end technology which would bring vast benefits to the country.
Space technology could benefit in areas such as biotechnology, monitoring of natural and man-made disasters, medicine, telecommunications and the exploration of earth's natural resources, he added.