BAIKONUR (Kazakhstan), Oct 10 (Bernama) -- Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha blasted off from here today in a Soyuz spacecraft to become the first Malaysian to go into space in a launch seen as a milestone in propelling Malaysia into a new and exciting chapter in its history.
The 35-year-old "angkasawan" (astronaut in Malay), an orthopaedic surgeon from Seremban who has American Peggy Whitson and Russian Yuri Malenchenko for company, lifted off at 7.21 pm (9.21 pm Malaysian time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in a Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft bearing the flags of Malaysia, Russia and the United States.
The launch of the spacecraft, which is headed for a docking with the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) 333km above the earth, was followed live by millions of Malaysians back home who were glued to their television sets or giant screens placed at strategic locations in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi watched the historic lift-off live on one of the several huge screens set up at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), along with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha and 280 schoolchildren. A breaking-of-the-fast was held earlier at the venue.
The launch was observed here by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis as well as the parents of Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor -- Datuk Sheikh Mustapha Sheikh Shukor and Datin Zuraida Datuk Sheikh Ahmad.
Coming on the 28th day of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, the launch holds a special significance for Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor. He does not have to fast in space but has said that he may want to observe the regime, if possible. He will then take credit for being the first Muslim astronaut to observe the Ramadan fast and also celebrate Aidilfitri, which is likely to fall on Oct 13, in space.
For this "angkasawan" and all other Malaysians, the launch could not have come at a more opportune moment -- when the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its independence.
Coincidentally, Russia is marking 50 years of space exploration. The first ever satellite, Sputnik, was launched from the very same Baikonur Cosmodrome on Oct 4 1957.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and his fellow astronauts will be in the ISS for nine days, during which time the Malaysian is scheduled to conduct three experiments involving cells in space, microbes in space and the crystallisation of proteins. He is due to return to earth on Oct 21.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor's space venture has been made possible by Malaysia's Angkasawan Programme to send the first Malaysian into space.
The programme was conceived in 2003 when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian to the ISS as part of Malaysia's RM3.42-billion purchase of 18 Russian-made Sukhoi-30MKM fighter jets. The Russian government is bearing the cost of the programme.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor is one of two candidates chosen from 11,267 applicants in an open selection process which started in October 2003 and ended in September 2006. The other is backup "angkasawan" Capt Dr Faiz Khaleed.
After a series of tests, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Dr Faiz underwent training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, a facility inaugurated on Jan 11 1960 in Star City outside Moscow, from September last year.
The Russian space agency, Roskosmos, has agreed that Dr Faiz participate in the 2008/2009 space mission and has allowed him to continue training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.
The Angkasawan Programme is seen as a giant step for Malaysia in developing its scientific and technological capabilities and in building its international image.
It is hoped that the programme will spur Malaysians to develop an interest in space studies in particular and science and technology in general, and encourage local scientific and space industries.
More significantly, it is a programme that is expected to inspire Malaysians and give them new confidence and belief in their own capabilities.
As Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said: "It is not merely a project to send a Malaysian into space. After 50 years of independence, we need a new shift and a new advantage to be more successful as a nation.
"We want to awe and inspire, and spur Malaysians to attain greater success by embracing science and technology."
-- BERNAMA
The 35-year-old "angkasawan" (astronaut in Malay), an orthopaedic surgeon from Seremban who has American Peggy Whitson and Russian Yuri Malenchenko for company, lifted off at 7.21 pm (9.21 pm Malaysian time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in a Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft bearing the flags of Malaysia, Russia and the United States.
The launch of the spacecraft, which is headed for a docking with the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) 333km above the earth, was followed live by millions of Malaysians back home who were glued to their television sets or giant screens placed at strategic locations in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi watched the historic lift-off live on one of the several huge screens set up at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), along with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha and 280 schoolchildren. A breaking-of-the-fast was held earlier at the venue.
The launch was observed here by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis as well as the parents of Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor -- Datuk Sheikh Mustapha Sheikh Shukor and Datin Zuraida Datuk Sheikh Ahmad.
Coming on the 28th day of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan, the launch holds a special significance for Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor. He does not have to fast in space but has said that he may want to observe the regime, if possible. He will then take credit for being the first Muslim astronaut to observe the Ramadan fast and also celebrate Aidilfitri, which is likely to fall on Oct 13, in space.
For this "angkasawan" and all other Malaysians, the launch could not have come at a more opportune moment -- when the nation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its independence.
Coincidentally, Russia is marking 50 years of space exploration. The first ever satellite, Sputnik, was launched from the very same Baikonur Cosmodrome on Oct 4 1957.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and his fellow astronauts will be in the ISS for nine days, during which time the Malaysian is scheduled to conduct three experiments involving cells in space, microbes in space and the crystallisation of proteins. He is due to return to earth on Oct 21.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor's space venture has been made possible by Malaysia's Angkasawan Programme to send the first Malaysian into space.
The programme was conceived in 2003 when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian to the ISS as part of Malaysia's RM3.42-billion purchase of 18 Russian-made Sukhoi-30MKM fighter jets. The Russian government is bearing the cost of the programme.
Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor is one of two candidates chosen from 11,267 applicants in an open selection process which started in October 2003 and ended in September 2006. The other is backup "angkasawan" Capt Dr Faiz Khaleed.
After a series of tests, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Dr Faiz underwent training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre, a facility inaugurated on Jan 11 1960 in Star City outside Moscow, from September last year.
The Russian space agency, Roskosmos, has agreed that Dr Faiz participate in the 2008/2009 space mission and has allowed him to continue training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre.
The Angkasawan Programme is seen as a giant step for Malaysia in developing its scientific and technological capabilities and in building its international image.
It is hoped that the programme will spur Malaysians to develop an interest in space studies in particular and science and technology in general, and encourage local scientific and space industries.
More significantly, it is a programme that is expected to inspire Malaysians and give them new confidence and belief in their own capabilities.
As Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said: "It is not merely a project to send a Malaysian into space. After 50 years of independence, we need a new shift and a new advantage to be more successful as a nation.
"We want to awe and inspire, and spur Malaysians to attain greater success by embracing science and technology."
-- BERNAMA
No comments:
Post a Comment