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Zhugderdemidiyn Gurragcha, aka Gurragcha Sansar
(born December 5, 1947) was the first Mongolian
cosmonaut and the second Asian in space. He was 
Mongolia's defense minister from 2000 to 2004.

Born in Gurvan-Bulak, Mongolia, Gurragcha studied
in Ulan Bator to become an Aerospace
engineering|aerospace engineer. He then joined the
air force, rising to the rank of Major General.

He was selected as part of the eight international
programme for Intercosmos on March 1, 1978. His
backup cosmonaut was Maidarzhavyn Ganzorig.

Gurragcha, along with Soviet Union|Soviet
cosmonaut Vladimir Dzhanibekov, from Baikonur
Cosmodrome on March 22, 1981. They docked with
Salyut 6.

While in orbit, Dzhanibekov and Gurragcha carried
out experiments on earth science. 

After 124 orbits and 7 days, 20 hours and 42
minutes in space, Gurragcha and Dzhanibekov landed
170 km southeast of Dzheskasgan.

Before becoming minister of defense, Gurragcha
worked as chief of a scientific institute in Ulan
Bator. 

He is marriage|married and has one child.

After Mongolia removed the Communist-era ban on
surnames in 1997, and after failing to locate his
original family name, Gurragcha chose the surname
Sansar - Mongolian for "cosmos".
astronaut-stub