Toktar Aubakirov ? hero of Kazakh people

ASTANA. April 10. KAZINFORM /Aydar Ospanaliyev / - On the eve of the International Aviation Day Kazinform presents the respected hero of Kazakh people Toktar Aubakirov. The noble son of Kazakhstan, well-known spaceman was born on July 27, 1946 in Pervomayskoye village of Karaganda region. In 1969 industrious and purposeful young Toktar graduated from the Air Force Institute.

In 1969-1975 he was a pilot, flight commander, second squadron commander in the air forces of Far East District. In 1976 Toktar graduated from the Institute of Test-Pilots in Moscow. In 1979 he joined A.I. Mikoyan Construction Bureau as a test-pilot. Toktar proved himself to be a highly qualified expert in aviation. It was him who made a heroic flight to the North Pole, twice fueling in the air without landing. In 1989 he showed prodigious craft and was the first to land ?Mig-29? jet plane upon a cruiser board. He had tested over 50 new kinds of jet planes. Early April 1991 he was trained for a space shot at the Soviet Union Center of Cosmonauts. In October 1991 on board of Soyuz TM-13 he flew into the outer space. Together with experienced specialists Toktar conducted scientific research in biotechnology, medicine, metallurgy and the Aral Sea, and participated in astrophysical monitoring of the sky, research of atmosphere and the Earth surface in Kazakhstan. There was a question - what made such a hero possessing fame and respect under the Russian flag return to the homeland. The thoughts of the homeland never left Toktar. The words ?motherland? and ?home? meant a lot to him. ?Sauytbek Abdrakhmenov told me about this. Before he was appointed director of our newspaper, he had been first vice-president of Kazakhstan TV and Radio Corporation?, Toktar Aubakirov said speaking about patriotism and love to his native land in an article ?Kyran Kazakh? published by Yegemen Kazakhstan newspaper. Toktar was invited for one of the Otandastar (?compatriots?) TV shows. Toktar came one hour earlier and we had time to talk. Toktar confided that a Kazakh song had a great impact on him, and helped him to believe in himself. In one of the cold evenings in taiga when sad feelings were twitching him, and the purpose seemed to be so remote and unreal, the pure voice of a song coming from the transistor was singing about the eternal and love. «How great and strong lovers of liberty are the people who created that song. And I am a son of this nation. I must not give up and go ahead towards the aim. I must serve for the benefit of my country», - thought Toktar. That song was ?Gaukhartas? performed by Bibigul Tolegenova. As a member of the Parliament Toktar Aubakirov proved to be a wise and fair politician for who people?s interests and needs go first. In October 1991 he returned to Kazakhstan. He can be given the title of founder of Kazakhstan?s space researches, for his contribution to the improvement of national armed forces is invaluable. In 1992-1993 he held the office of Vice-Minister of Defense. In 1994 he was Director General of the National Air Space Agency of Kazakhstan and was Deputy Minister of Science and Advanced Technologies. In 1994-1995 he was Deputy of the Supreme Council of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Security and Defense Committee; in 1996 he was appointed Advisor to the President of Kazakhstan. Toktar became a cosmonaut at the age of 45. In 1988 he was given the title of the Soviet Union Hero for successful testing of ?Mig? jet plane. Among 26 test-pilots in the aviation construction bureau Toktar was the only representative of Kazakhstan. 9 pilots of 26 died in test flights, the survived were given the title of Heroes. One of those heroes is our countryman Toktar Aubakirov.