Angkasawan negara, sebelum...

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Malaysian Astronaut, Next ISS Crew Aim for Orbit
WASHINGTON — Malaysia's debut spaceflyer, the first female commander of the International Space Station and a veteran Russian cosmonaut are gearing up for their orbital mission this fall.

Malaysian orthopedic surgeon Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 34, is training for a planned Oct. 10 launch towards the ISS with veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko to kick off the 16th expedition to the orbital laboratory. "It's really important to me to spur interest among all the Malaysian people," Shukor told reporters during a Monday press briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. "But my focus has always been on schoolchildren."
Chosen from a competitive field of 11,000, Shukor said he is proud to represent Malaysia in space as its first astronaut, or "angkasawan." Whitson, the space station's first female commander, and Malenchenko are both veteran ISS flyers. Whitson flew in 2002 as an Expedition 5 flight engineer and NASA's first ISS science officer, while Malenchenko commanded Expedition 7 in 2003. "It is going to be a very complicated and aggressive mission," said Whitson, adding that she hopes her role as commander will encourage young women to embrace science and mathematics. "But I think I've got a great team."

Malaysian Astronaut Won't Ignore Faith
Thursday, September 20, 2007

STAR CITY, Russia — Among the things Malaysia's first astronaut will be worrying about next month: How does an observant Muslim pray toward Mecca while soaring hundreds of miles above the Earth?

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will blast off aboard a Russian-built Soyuz space craft en route to the international space station along with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson. They blast off from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 10. Speaking at a news conference Thursday at Russia's cosmonaut training center in Star City, on Moscow's outskirts, Shukor said during his 10 days in space, he hoped to perform life science and other research, but said he would not ignore the responsibilities of his faith. "I do agree that I am a Muslim, I am Islamic, but my main priority is more of conducting experiments," the 35-year-old astronaut said. "As a Muslim, I do hope to do my responsibilities, I do hope to fast in space." After months of discussion and two international conferences, the Islamic National Fatwa Council came up with guidelines as to how Muslim astronauts should observe daily rituals. The rules were published in 12-page booklet titled "Muslim Obligations in the International Space Station."

Observant Muslims are required to turn toward Mecca located in Saudi Arabia and kneel and pray five times a day. However, with the space station circling the Earth 16 times a day, kneeling in zero gravity to pray or facing toward Mecca for that matter makes fulfilling those religious obligations difficult. Malaysia's National Fatwa Council ruled that Muslim astronauts will not be required to kneel to pray if the absence of gravity makes it too hard. Facing Mecca while praying will be left to the "best abilities" of the astronaut, the council said.
Adding to the difficulties is the fact that the launch coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan when Muslims are expected to fast from dawn until dusk. The fatwa decided the fasting may be postponed until returning to Earth. Other exceptions include allowing simple silent prayer if performing physical rituals is impossible. Shukor will return to Earth Oct. 20 along with two members of the station's current crew cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov.