'Climate change is a cyclical phenomenon' - Dr Mahathir

SHAH ALAM - Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently visited the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in Tsukuba, about 50km from Tokyo.

In a Facebook post, Dr Mahathir said that JAXA has been studying and experimenting with space exploration for quite some time, starting with small rockets and now participating in the manning of the International Space Station (ISS) together with Russia and the United States.

"They have also carried out experiments and sent rockets into space on behalf of other countries, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

"The visit and exhibition was very interesting. It showcased space satellites that had been launched, including a full-size capsule where astronauts live. This allowed me to physically imagine their living conditions," he said.

Dr Mahathir added that the space station capsule is quite large, about eight feet in diameter, so astronauts can walk about inside without suits because the climate inside is the same as that on Earth.

"However, if they need to go outside for maintenance work or other tasks, they need to wear space suits, which provide oxygen for them to breathe," he added.

Dr Mahathir also asked JAXA President Dr Hiroshi Yamakawa and his team several questions, including about the debris in outer space and how rockets are able to dock with the ISS.

"Dr Yamakawa explained that the debris in outer space does not have a significant impact on our climate.

"He also explained the complex mathematics and physics behind docking a rocket with the ISS, which is moving in different directions at the same time.

"We also discussed climate change and other matters related to events happening in outer space. I shared my experience of launching Malaysia's first satellite, MEASAT 1, in 1996, and our progress in space exploration, including sending astronaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor to the ISS in 2007," he said.

Dr Mahathir said that climate change is a cyclical phenomenon and that the Earth has experienced different climate conditions over long periods of time.

"For example, there was a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, followed by an ice age when the entire world was covered in ice. Then, the ice melted and the land and sea appeared, and the climate became suitable for living creatures, including humans," he said.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia is committed to discovering more about climate change and developing solutions to mitigate its effects.