Malaysia's astronaut candidates scheduled for training at NASA next month

PUTRAJAYA, SAT. - Malaysia's two astronaut candidates will be heading for the United States National Space and Aeronautical Administration (Nasa) in Texas next month for three weeks’ training.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said this is part of a programme to familiarise them with the American section of the International Space Station.
“As the ISS consists of Russian and American portions, they need to undergo training with Nasa apart from the Russian space agency,” he said at the end of the 10th MSC International Advisory Panel meeting here today.
Jamaludin said the government has yet to decide on the local television station that will be given the rights to telecast live the first Malaysian astronaut’s activities in space.
“Efforts are also being made for Malaysians to communicate with the astronaut via the Internet when he is space,” he said. The two candidates - Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 34, and Capt Dr Faiz Khaleed, 26, — are now undergoing training at the Yuri Gagarin Space Training Centre in Moscow.
One of them will be picked for the journey to space on Oct 6.
Jamaludin said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is expected to be at the Baikanaur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan during the launching of the spacecraft, which will also carry commander Yuri Ivanovich and Oleg Kotaty.