Malaysia to launch second space mission

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Malaysia, whose first astronaut is at the International Space Station, will send a second citizen into space in the next two years, the science minister said according to reports Saturday.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a 35-year-old doctor and part-time model, blasted off Wednesday aboard a Russian Soyuz space craft with Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and NASA's Peggy Whitson.

Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Jamaluddin Jarjis said from Moscow that Muszaphar's back-up candidate, Faiz Khaleed, would become Malaysia's next astronaut or "angkasawan" in the Malay language.

"Captain doctor Faiz Khaleed will be the primary angkasawan and the next mission, probably in 2008 or 2009, should have him doing more challenging tasks," Jamaluddin said according to the New Straits Times.

"This could involve him doing a space walk or conducting repairs to the spacecraft," he said.

"I hope to submit a proposal to NASA (the US space administration) by this year that in addition to his training with the Russian Space Agency, Dr. Faiz will also be able to undergo training with them," he said.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak indicated said Saturday that a review of Muszaphar's mission would take place before any decision was made on Malaysia's next foray into space.

"We will have a post-mortem first and then examine the possibility," he said according to the official Bernama news agency.

The project to have a homegrown "angkasawan" was part of a billion-dollar purchase of 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets from Russia.

Muszaphar was chosen from thousands of hopefuls in a nationwide competition that generated tremendous excitement in Malaysia, which is celebrating its half-century of independence from British colonial rule.

Jamaluddin said that another competition would be held to select a backup for Faiz -- an army dentist -- and that he hoped young people and women would apply.

Muszaphar, who blasted off from the Baikonur launch centre that Russia runs in Kazakhstan, is due to return to earth on October 21.

During his mission, Muszaphar will conduct experiments on behalf of Malaysia's Genome Institute, including tests on cancer cells.