posted 08-04-2025 02:36 AM            

A Kazakh politician, test pilot and cosmonaut who flew on three spaceflights. His first two spaceflights were long-duration stays aboard the Russian space station Mir. His third spaceflight was a short-duration visiting mission to the International Space Station, which also carried the first paying space tourist Dennis Tito. He retired as a cosmonaut in November 2003. Beginning in 2007 he was head of KazCosmos, Kazakhstan's National Space Agency.

posted 08-04-2025 10:00 AM               

Talgat Musabayev, three-time cosmonaut who flew with 1st space tourist, dies at 74

Kazakh cosmonaut Talgat Musabayev, whose third flight into space was with the first self-funded space tourist, has died at the age of 74.

Musabayev, who later became the head of Kazakhstan's national space agency, was mourned by the country's president on Monday (Aug. 4).

"Talgat Amangeldiuly was a hero who conquered space three times ... and made our country famous to the world with his remarkable feat," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev wrote in a telegram sent to the late cosmonaut's family and friends. "He devoted all his efforts to the development of the domestic aerospace industry and worked tirelessly."

posted 08-04-2025 12:53 PM               

I saw Talgat Musabayev leading a group of managers from an exhibition hall toward the apron. I approached him and greeted him. At that moment, everyone else in his group became irrelevant.

We talked for about five minutes. Then he took a business card out of his suit pocket and signed it for me. I asked him if we could take a photo together. Talgat Musabayev grabbed my camera and handed it to someone from his group who was waiting indifferently next to us. After taking the photo, we said goodbye.