Hanoi (VNA) – Three Russian cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS), orbiting more than 400 kilometres above Earth, have sent a special message of friendship to Vietnam to mark the 65th anniversary of humanity's first journey into space (1961–2026).
The video message was unveiled on April 10 at the opening of the exhibition "Soyuz-37 Joint Flight – A Symbol of Vietnam–Russia Space Cooperation" in Hanoi.
The exhibition, jointly organised by the State Records and Archives Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Russian Embassy in Vietnam, and the Federal Archival Agency of Russia, commemorates the 65th anniversary of the first human spaceflight on April 12, 1961, when the Soviet Union became the first nation to send a human into outer space.
The event also pays tribute to the historic Soyuz-37 mission in 1980, which carried Soviet cosmonaut Viktor Gorbatko and Lieutenant General Pham Tuan into Earth’s orbit, making Pham Tuan the first Vietnamese and the first Asian to travel into space.
To mark the occasion, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Mikayev, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Andrey Fedyayev recorded a video aboard the ISS, with the national flags of Russia and Vietnam displayed prominently behind them.
Speaking on behalf of the crew, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov said that from hundreds of kilometres above Earth, the planet appeared as a borderless blue world, reinforcing the belief that international cooperation remains the most reliable path for humanity to explore deeper into space.
Passing a floating microphone to his colleague in the station's microgravity environment, Sergei Mikayev described the Soyuz-37 mission as not only a scientific achievement but also a lasting symbol of friendship between the two nations. He noted that while today's ISS crew carries out scientific missions in orbit, people in Hanoi are preserving the invaluable memories of that historic joint expedition.
Andrey Fedyayev extended special greetings to Lieutenant General Pham Tuan and appreciation to the exhibition organisers, conveying the ISS crew's friendship and best wishes to the Vietnamese people.
The exhibition features numerous historical documents and artefacts, including photographs of Pham Tuan and signed Vietnamese and Soviet flags that travelled aboard Soyuz-37.
Reflecting on the occasion, 79-year-old Pham Tuan recalled the defining moments of his journey into space and highlighted the remarkable achievements of the Soviet and Russian space programme.
He remembered both the excitement and tension during the docking of Soyuz-37 with the Salyut 6 space station, a procedure requiring extraordinary precision, as well as the warm welcome from the resident crew, who greeted the arriving astronauts with bread and salt in accordance with Russian tradition.
Pham Tuan recalled spending nearly eight days in space, conducting almost 40 scientific experiments and participating in an emotional press conference from orbit.
He also carried symbolic items representing Vietnam, including soil from Ba Dinh Square, the Declaration of Independence, President Ho Chi Minh's Testament, and photographs of President Ho Chi Minh and Party General Secretary Le Duan. During the spacecraft's pass over Vietnam, the memorabilia were stamped and signed before being brought back to Earth.
Looking out from orbit, he said he was captivated by the brilliant colours of Earth's horizon and was reminded of Yuri Gagarin's famous message that Earth is beautiful and should be protected.
At the exhibition opening, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Bezdetko said the joint Soviet-Vietnamese Soyuz-37 mission represented not only a milestone in science but also a powerful symbol of the enduring friendship and close cooperation between the two countries.
He added that the exhibition itself reflects close collaboration among archival units, museums, scientific institutions, and diplomatic agencies of both countries, helping preserve historical memories while introducing younger generations to a shared chapter of scientific achievement.
The exhibition is open to the public free of charge at the State Records and Archives Department, 12 Dao Tan street in Hanoi, from 9 am to 4 pm on weekdays until June 10, 2026./.
