Biodata Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor

Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor (born Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al Masrie bin Sheikh Mustapha on July 27, 1972 is a Malaysian medical doctor and is scheduled to be the first Malaysian to go into space when he is launched to the aboard Soyuz TMA-11 on October 10, 2007. Shukor is flying as a spaceflight participant under an agreement with Russia through the Angkasawan program, and will return to Earth with the Expedition 15 crew members, Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov after nine days aboard the station.

Career

Shukor was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and attended high school at Maktab Rendah Sains MARA in Muar. Shukor then went on to obtain a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.Shukor is an orthopedic physician, and a university lecturer in medicine at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.In 1998, Shukor worked at Hospital Seremban, followed by a move to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital in 1999, and was on staff at Hospital Selayang from 2000 through 2001.Shukor is also a part-time model.

^{Angkasawan program}

^{Shukor and three other finalists were selected at the beginning of 2006 for the Malaysian Angkasawan spaceflight program. After completing initial training at Star City in Russia, Sheikh Muszaphar and Faiz Khaleed were selected to undergo an 18-month training program in Russia, at the end of which Shukor was chosen as the prime crew member, while Faiz Khaleed would serve as back-up. Following the final medical tests and training examinations, on September 17, it was officially announced that Shukor would be flying with Expedition 16.}

^{During a NASA news conference with the Expedition 16 crew on July 23, 2007, and news conferences following his selection, Shukor said he hoped to be able to take various live cell cultures to study during his flight.}

^{Spaceflight and religion}

^{Since Shukor is a Muslim, and his time in space will coincide with the last part of Ramadan, the Islamic National Fatwa Council drew up the first comprehensive guidebook for Muslims in space. The 18-page guidebook is titled "Guidelines for Performing Islamic Rites (Ibadah at the International Space Station"), and details issues such as how to pray in a low-gravity environment, how to locate Mecca from the ISS, how to determine prayer times, and issues surrounding fasting. The orbit of the ISS results in one day/night cycle every 90 minutes, so the issues of fasting during Ramadan are also addressed. The guidebook will be translated into Russian, Arabic, and English.Ramadan began on September 13, 2007, and continues through about October 13, 2007, meaning Shukor will spend the last four days of Ramadan in space.Anan C. Mohd, from Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development said that fasting while traveling is optional, so Shukor could choose what he would like to do, but if he did decide to fast in space, the times would be centered around local time in Baikonur, where the launch takes place.}

^{Source: Wikipedia}