Flávio Dieguez
Special Report

Star City, near Moscow - Brazilian astronaut Marcos Pontes, speaking to Agencia Brasil as he recovers from his eight-day sojourn in space at an astronaut medical center, says he intends to use the experience he has acquired to advance the Brazilian space program. Pontes pointed out that he has been in training programs with the Russians, the Americans and even the Japanese, and has good relations with the European space program.

Pontes said that tomorrow is a special day. On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space. He said he was flattered when Russians compared him to Gagarin who was his hero.

According to Russian doctors, Pontes is in excellent health. His health is so good that the joke at Star City is whether or not he really went into space for eight days.

Translation: Allen Bennett