Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov (Russian: Салижан Шакирович Шарипов) (born 24 August 1964) is a Kyrgyzstani cosmonaut. Sharipov is a co-author and investigator for the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity project. He has been to space twice (launched from the U.S. as an astronaut in 1998 and from Russia as a cosmonaut in 2004) and has conducted two spacewalks. Sharipov retired on 18 July 2008.
Soyuz TMA-5 begins Expedition 10 by carrying 3 astronauts and cosmonauts to the International Space Station. Russian Commander, cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov alongside Flight Engineers, Leroy Chiao (NASA) & Yuri Shargin (RSA) will launch aboard the Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and then rendezvous with the station. It landed on April 24, 2005, 22:08 UTC
Low Earth OrbitThe Roscosmos State Corporation for Space Activities, commonly known as Roscosmos, is the governmental body responsible for the space science program of the Russian Federation and general aerospace research. Soyuz has many launch locations the Russian sites are Baikonur, Plesetsk and Vostochny however Ariane also purchases the vehicle and launches it from French Guiana.