The first Croat in the outer-space

Miroslav Ambrus-Kis says that he would like to take pictures of northern Velebit and that he would like to become an outer-space guide.

Miroslav Ambrus-Kis, Vecernji List journalist, will fly to the outer-space in early September of the next year. He will, thus, become the first Croat to leave the planet.

We have contacted Ambrus-Kis, who is also known as dr.Mac, and we asked him about how this mission came about as well as his plans concerning the upcoming flight.

- Google gave the X Prize foundation 30 million U.S. dollars for the private enterprise that manages to send the first robotic vehicle to the moon by the 2012. The vehicle is suppose to pass at least half a mile and be able to send the picture as proof. From pure journalistic curiosity, I began to investigate the teams that applied. There were dozens of teams from various U.S. universities and private companies like Boeing. One of those teams had a bunch of Croatian last names that ended in ‘ic’, so I wanted to know everything about them and write a newspaper article about them - Dr. Mac explains excitedly.

 

Training prior to their departure

The team, whose vehicle bears the name of Tesla, is called Synergy Moon. Team members are composed of numerous scientists, entrepreneurs, and their leader is Kevin Myrick, an astrophysicist and Interplanetary Ventures owner. Their close partner is a company called Interorbital Systems, who will take care of the team’s rocket.

Ambrus-Kis further explains how the company managed to develope a commercial program for sending tourists into orbit.

The company has inquired about ‘Moon Project’, which provides for sending two passengers for the first flight, Ambrus-Kis volunteered and reached a quick agreement with them. They created a vehicle called Neptune 1000, which will be sent into orbit with five tourists and a pilot. A vehicle can also be used to transport a 60 kilogram probe to the Moon.

- On the first flight in a capsule, I will be will accompanied by Nebojsa Stanojevic from Sarajevo, who traveled the world on ‘foot’ and the boat. We will spent 12 hours in the outer-space and we will fly 10 times around the Earth. Prior to our departure we have to take months' worth of training in case we are forced to land the capsule ourselves - Ambrus Kis said.

 

Outer-Space Travel Guide

We asked Dr. Mac what place he would like to see from Earth’s orbit

- I would like to photograph and examine the northern Velebit. I like Geography very much: I have traveled much of South America, the Andes, Asia, the Himalayas and the like, and I think I could be a great tourist guide. I could even show Dubrovnik walls from the aircraft - jokes Ambrus Kis, who also says that his trip will be ‘like looking at Google Earth, only live’.