In November 2014, Viet Nam’s first astronaut Pham Tuan and Christer Fuglesang, Sweden’s first astronaut, shared their space mission memories in a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City.Talking to Tuoi Tre newspaper, the two astronauts said they enjoyed floating around in the weightless environment. ‘From above, Earth didn’t look as big as we had thought,’ Fuglesang, who first flew into space in 2006, recalled.Pham Tuan described his first meal on Earth after the trip as ‘very delicious’. He said it was a great feeling since astronauts do not have fresh food in space. He recounted how his family had helped him,Both astronauts agreed that to realise a dream needs effort, but the chance to fly to space is equal for everyone, whether they are from Viet Nam, Sweden, or any other country. Fuglesang said teamwork and social skills are very important for an astronaut as the job requires people to work harmoniously together.

Pham Tuan is known as the first Vietnamese astronaut to fly to the universe. He was also the first Asian to fly into space in the Soviet manned and unmanned space program - called Interkosmos in 1980. He was a Lieutenant General and awarded by the state. title of hero of the people's armed forces.
After graduating from high school in 1965, Pham Tuan enlisted in the army and he was the one who asked to join the air force.
When conducting the test, he did not meet the requirements to become a pilot student but was only sent to work as a mechanic. When they arrived in the Soviet Union, because many members were unable to respond to the training process, they selected a few more trainees from the mechanic to learn the pilot. Pham Tuyen is one of those chosen.
Despite many difficulties in the learning process, but with effort, he completed the course in 1967, and returned to the country to participate in combat at unit 5, Sao Do Air Force Regiment.
In 1972, he was again selected as one of the training pilots to fly a night flight.
The first night flight he launched took place on December 18, 1972 and on the night of December 27, 1972 in a battle he shot down an enemy B-52 aircraft. And was sent by the General Vo Nguyen Giap to commend and reward on the morning of December 28, 1972.
On September 3, 1973, he was conferred the title of hero of the People's Armed Forces by the state when he was a lieutenant and chief of the 5th Company of Sao Do air force regiment.
In 1977 he was sent to study at the Gagarin Air Force Academy of the Soviet Union.
On April 1, 1979, he was selected to become an international flight crew to meet the army, and then he became the No. 1 flight candidate.
Flight to Lieutenant General Pham Tuan's space took place for 8 days starting from July 23, 1980 and ending on July 31, 1980, flying with him as astronaut Viktor Vassilyevich Gorbatko and 2 other travelers from Russia
Also in 1980, while carrying the rank of lieutenant colonel, Pham Tuan was conferred the title of labor hero and Ho Chi Minh Medal.
At the same time, he was awarded the Lenin Medal by the Soviet Union and the title of Soviet hero.