Malaysia's 1st astronaut prepares for blastoff

(Kyodo) _ Malaysia's first astronaut vowed to pray and fast in space in accordance with Muslim tradition as he prepared to blast off toward the International Space Station later Wednesday.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor's impending journey into outer space has thrown the entire nation into space fever.

Already hailed as a hero, the 35-year-old orthopedic surgeon's face adorned the front page of almost every newspaper, with each devoting several pages to the space mission including special pullouts.

Television networks plan live broadcasts of Muszaphar's launch into space on board the Russian Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft from Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome at 9.21 p.m. (1321 GMT). Blasting off together with Muszaphar are Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson.

"I congratulate him and I am very happy that one of our men has been chosen to join this special mission," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.

Malaysia's leader, joined by hundreds of schoolchildren, will be following the historic event from a giant screen erected in the capital.
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Muszaphar beat 11,000 other Malaysians to be the country's first "angkasawan," the Malay word for astronaut. He will spend 10 days in space.

As the launch falls during Ramadan when Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset, Muszaphar said in his Internet blog Tuesday, "I definitely would be praying and fasting in space.

"I am not sure how it would be done but will share my experiences to all the Muslims all over the world when I get back. After all, Islam is a way of life and I am quite sure I would not face much difficulties."

Muszaphar may not be the first Muslim in space, but since Malaysia's space program was launched in 2003, the government has been exploring the issue of life in space for Muslims.

Renowned local and international Islamic scholars have been consulted and a 20-page guidebook for Muslim astronauts was issued recently dealing with topics like how to pray in space and edicts on fasting and halal food.

As Muslims are required to pray five times a day facing towards Mecca, that will be tricky in a space station that circles the Earth 16 times a day.

Malaysian religious authorities gave permission for Muszaphar to skip the fast, saying he could make up for it when he returns to Earth.

Muszaphar will bring with him vacuum-packed Malay food like satay or skewered chicken, fermented soybean cake and traditional cookies.

He plans to throw an Eid Al Fitr party in space to mark the end of Ramadan, which falls this Saturday in Malaysia.

"Space is all about sharing culture and tradition where cosmonauts from all over the world would gather and conduct experiments as a whole. I am hoping to introduce Malaysian culture and tradition to the whole world since we will be viewed by millions from earth," Muszaphar said.

The Malaysian space program is a tradeoff to Malaysia's $900 million purchase of 18 Russian Sukhoi Su-30 MKM fighter jets in 2003.

Source: Kyodo News