PM Says Malaysian Astronaut to Be Decided at “Last Minute”

Text of report in English by Malaysian news agency Bernama website

[Unattributed article from the "General" page headlined: "Malaysian Astronaut To Space To Be Decided At Last Minute"]

Putrajaya, 24 September: The Malaysian astronaut to blast off to the International Space Station on 10 October will be decided at the last minute after both the country’s candidates are recognised as astronauts.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said today that Dr Shaykh Muszaphar Shukor would be placed with the first crew for the Soyuz 15-S mission while Captain Dr Faiz Khaleed would join the second crew.

“All the final changes in the selection of the candidate for the mission will be decided by the Russians later. This process is necessary to ensure that the mission proceeds smoothly and successfully,” Abdullah said when making the announcement live from his office here.

The two Malaysian astronauts will be at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, from Friday to undergo final training before the launch on 10 October.

Abdullah said the selection of the two was on the recommendation of the selection committee chaired by Tun Haniff Omar based on a meeting of the working committee of the Russian Intergovernmental Board and the final assessment report on the preparation of the Soyuz 15-S mission by the Russian space agency (Roscosmos).

He said the government was very proud that the Main Crew Commissioning Board had acknowledged that both the Malaysian astronaut candidates had passed with distinction and were qualified to represent the country in its first mission to space.

“This means that the country has produced two Malaysians who can join a space mission at any time when needed and has been accorded recognition by an international astronaut training body,” he said.

Besides Dr Shaykh Muszaphar, 35, a medical officer from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM), the Russians have proposed that the first crew for the Soyuz 15-S mission comprise Yuri Malechenko of Russia and Peggy Whitson of the United States.

The second crew will comprise Sharizan Sharipov of Russia and Michael Fincke of the United States besides Captain Dr Faiz, 27, a dentist with the Malaysian Armed Forces.

“On behalf of the government and people of Malaysia, I wish the mission success and I pray that it will go smoothly as planned,” Abdullah said.

Originally published by Bernama website, Kuala Lumpur, in English 0703 24 Sep 07.

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