South Korean Spacefarer Hospitalized With Back Pain | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-04.29.24

Airborne-NextGen-04.30.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.01.24 Airborne-AffordableFlyers--05.02.24

Airborne-Unlimited-05.03.24

Wed, Apr 30, 2008

South Korean Spacefarer Hospitalized With Back Pain

Steep Reentry May Be To Blame

The first South Korean to travel into space, Yi So-yeon, was hospitalized Tuesday after complaining of back and neck pain.

The Associated Press reports Yi cancelled a meeting with Korean President Lee Myung-bak before she was taken to the hospital. An unidentified worker at the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute -- where Yi works as a bioengineer -- said Yi's pain may have resulted from the harrowing April 19 reentry of her Soyuz TMA-11 capsule, following a visit to the International Space Station.

As ANN reported, the Soyuz transporting Yi, Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, and cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko reentered the atmosphere along a "ballistic" trajectory, at a much steeper rate than normal. The ride subjected the crew to as much as 10 g's -- about twice the normal forces -- and resulted in the capsule landing some 260 miles off course.

It was the second time in as many missions a Soyuz malfunctioned, sending the capsule along the steeper-than-normal reentry path. Russian officials are expected to release the cause of the glitch by the end of May, according to the AP.

Despite the problems, however, the incident did prove the sturdiness of the 1960s-vintage Russian spacecraft; officials later disclosed the capsule entered the atmosphere on its side -- with its egress hatch taking the brunt of the heat from reentry, instead of the ellipsoidal capsule's heat shield. That resulted in substantial damage to the capsule, and loss of the communications antenna... but the spacecraft succeeded in protecting its human crew.

The South Korean government paid the Russian space agency $20 million for Yi's flight to the ISS as a space tourist.

Officials would not confirm publicly Yi's hospitalization was the result of the rocky ride home. "We are looking at various possible reasons for her pain," said the unnamed KARI official.

During a press conference Monday, Yi admitted to the back pain, but said Russian doctors had checked her out and found her condition satisfactory. "I think I'll be fine after taking a rest," she said.

FMI: www.nasa.gov, www.roscosmos.ru

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.01.24): Say Altitude

Say Altitude Used by ATC to ascertain an aircraft's specific altitude/flight level. When the aircraft is climbing or descending, the pilot should state the indicated altitude round>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.01.24)

Aero Linx: European Air Law Association (EALA) EALA was established in 1988 with the aim to promote the study of European air law and to provide an open forum for those with an int>[...]

Classic Aero-TV: Korean War Hero Twice Reborn

From 2023 (YouTube Version): The Life, Death, Life, Death, and Life of a Glorious Warbird In 1981, business-owner Jim Tobul and his father purchased a Chance-Vought F4U Corsair. Mo>[...]

Airborne 04.29.24: EAA B-25 Rides, Textron 2024, G700 Deliveries

Also: USCG Retires MH-65 Dolphins, Irish Aviation Authority, NATCA Warns FAA, Diamond DA42 AD This summer, history enthusiasts will have a unique opportunity to experience World Wa>[...]

Airborne Affordable Flyers 05.02.24: Bobby Bailey, SPRG Report Cards, Skydive!

Also: WACO Kitchen Bails, French SportPlane Mfr to FL, Dynon-Advance Flight Systems, Innovation Preview Bobby Bailey, a bit of a fixture in sport aviation circles for his work with>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC