ISS prepared for upcoming Soyuz TMA-11

A station reboost is planned for Sept. 24. The orbital firing will put the ISS in the correct attitude for the upcoming Soyuz TMA-11 and Space Shuttle Discovery dockings in October. With the Progress 25 undocking on Sept. 18, the aft port of the Zvezda service module is open and ready for the relocation of the Soyuz TMA-10 on Sept. 27. The relocation opens up the Zarya nadir, or earth-facing, port for the arrival of Expedition 16 in its Soyuz TMA-11 on Oct. 12. Discovery arrives Oct. 25 on the STS-120 mission bringing with it the Harmony Node 2. Harmony enables the station to add two new European and Japanese space laboratories on upcoming missions. Aboard the station, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and flight engineers Oleg Kotov and Clay Anderson continue packing items for return to Earth aboard Discovery. The crew members also measured their body mass. The measurements are taken to study the effects of microgravity on astronauts’ bodies.

Soyuz TMA-11 Ready for Oct 10

Malaysian Research Angkasawan Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor; Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, Soyuz Commander and ISS Flight Engineer; and American Astronaut Peggy Whitson, the first female International Space Station Commander for Expedition 16 are set for launch October 10, 2007 from the the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This will be Whitson's second 6-month stay aboard the ISS having served as the Science Officer on ISS Expedition 5. more about klik here Soyuz TMA-11

The Expedition 16 Crew

The Expedition 16 crew members pose for a portrait at the Johnson Space Center. From the left (front row) are Russia's Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, flight engineer and Soyuz commander; astronaut Peggy Whitson, commander; and Malaysian spaceflight participant Sheikh Muzhaphar Shukor. From the left (back row) are European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Léopold Eyharts, astronaut Garrett Reisman and astronaut Dan Tani, all flight engineers.

Spaceflight Participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will launch with Expedition 16 and land with Expedition 15.

Commander Peggy A. Whitson Whitson is the commander for Expedition 16. This is her second tour of duty aboard the station. She also was a flight engineer and science officer for Expedition 5 in 2002. Whitson also worked underwater as a NEEMO 5 crew member in 2003.+ Biography

Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko Expedition 16 is Malenchenko's second tour of duty aboard the station. He also served as commander of Expedition 7. Malenchenko was a mission specialist for STS-106 in 2000 and commanded Mir 16 in 1996.+ Biography

Flight Engineer Daniel M. Tani Tani will fly to the station aboard space shuttle Discovery on STS-120 and join Expedition 16 as a flight engineer. He will return home aboard space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122.+ Biography

Flight Engineer Léopold Eyharts Eyharts, a European Space Agency astronaut from France, will join Expedition 16 as a flight engineer after launching to the station aboard space shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-122. He also visited the Mir Space Station for three weeks in February 1998.+ Biography

Flight Engineer Garrett E. Reisman Reisman will fly to the station aboard space shuttle Endeavour on STS-123 and join Expedition 16 as a flight engineer. He will also stay aboard the station to join Expedition 17. In 2003 Reisman worked underwater as a crew member for NEEMO 5.+ Biography

Soyuz TMA 11 Crew

The Expedition 16 crew – Commander Peggy Whitson, 47, flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko, 46, and Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 35 – will launch October 6 on a Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Malaysia's first astronaut, Angkasawan Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 35, is one of three people who will blast off aboard a Russian-built Soyuz space craft next month en route to the international space station. Shukor — along with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson — was officially approved for his mission Thursday by a Russian space flight commission. They blast off from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 10

Astronaut to grapple with daily prayer ritual

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 (kilometers) above the Earth?
Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 35, is one of three people who will blast off aboard a Russian-built Soyuz space craft next month en route to the international space station. Shukor — along with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson — was officially approved for his mission Thursday by a Russian space flight commission.
They blast off from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 10.

Speaking at a news conference at Russia's cosmonaut training center at 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 also he would not ignore the responsibilities of his faith while soaring some 220 miles (350 kilometers) up.
"I do agree, that I am a Muslim, I am Islamic, but my main priority is more of conducting experiments," he said.
"As a Muslim, I do hope to do my responsibilities, I do hope to fast in space," he said.
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, washing one's face and hands, and kneeling in zero gravity to pray — or facing toward Mecca for that matter — makes fulfilling those religious obligations more 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, nor will they have to wash with water _ a simple wet towel will do.
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 would be impossible.

Muslim Astronauts First to Fast in Space

Since maintaining Islamic beliefs is mandatory for Muslims in every situation, time and place, the two astronauts have been given advice on observing their faith in space. Malaysians are hopeful that they may soon see the country's first Muslim astronaut to fast in space next month during Ramadan, which started on September 13th this year. "It will be great if our astronaut chooses to fast. We are looking forward to having him relate his experience of fasting in space," said Anan, an official of Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development.
Malaysia's two finalists for the voyage, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Faiz Khaleed, a Muslim doctor and an army dentist are being trained in Moscow, Russia to vie for a slot in the 11-day space mission that starts on October 10. Malaysia's would-be astronauts were chosen from 12,000 of hopefuls in a nation-wide contest.The project was conceived in 2003 when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian to the space station as part of a billion-dollar purchase of 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets.Other Muslims who have gone to space include Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan bin Salman, who went aboard the U.S. shuttle Discovery in 1985, and Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian-American telecommunications entrepreneur who went to the ISS in September 2006.In order to standardize muslim astronauts' behaviour in space, Islamic scholars worked out a guideline booklet early this year, which says the direction of Mecca should be determined "according to the capability" of the astronaut:
1. PrayersThe two astronauts are expected to face a structure called the Kaaba in Mecca when they offer their five daily prayers, while they got instruction that they will be allowed to pray flexibly in zero gravity.Before that, Malaysia's Islamic scholars discussed a lot on the problems Muslim space travellers might face, such as how to pray in space in the face of difficulties pinpointing the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia and holding the prayer position in a zero-gravity environment.
2. EatingThose in space during the holy month of Ramadan — during which Muslims are required to fast, foregoing food, water and other sensual pleasures from sunrise to sunset — can choose to fast then or make up for it when they return to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. (If they choose to fast in space, the space station travels around the world at 17,000mph (27,400km/h) with 16 orbits a day.)
3. DressingThe astronaut must be dressed decently whenever in public view, which involves covering at least the portion of the body between the navel and the knees for men.

Muslim astronaut to blast off during Ramadan

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian religious authorities are hopeful that the country's first astronaut will also become the first Muslim to fast in space when he blasts off next month during Ramadan.Two Malaysian candidates, a doctor and an army dentist who are both Muslims, are undergoing training in Russia with the winner to be selected before the 11-day space mission starts on October 10.Other Muslims have ventured into space, but none during the fasting month of Ramadan which began last week.Anan C. Mohd, from Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development, said the astronaut could choose to fast in space or replace his fasting days when he returns to Earth aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft."It will be great if our astronaut chooses to fast. We are looking forward to having him relate his experience of fasting in space. I'm sure he is equally excited and will find it a thrilling experience," he told the Sunday Star newspaper.Anan said that the times for beginning and ending the fast should follow the local time in Baikonur, where the launch will take place in Russia.Much thought has gone into how to reconcile Islam with a space mission, including a conference here last year where muftis and scientists pondered how to pray in space in the face of difficulties locating Mecca and holding the prayer position in a zero-gravity environment.Anan said that the National Fatwa Committee had given some leeway to the astronaut to perform his religious obligations in space."As certain rituals might be difficult due to microgravity, the astronaut can perform them in other ways like reciting them in his heart, as long as the intention is pure," he told the Star.Malaysia's would-be astronauts were chosen from thousands of hopefuls in a nationwide contest.The project was conceived in 2003 when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian to the space station as part of a billion-dollar purchase of 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets

Malaysian businessman has booked a Soyuz flight

Eric Anderson, president and chief executive of Space Adventures Ltd. did disclose that a Malaysian businessman has booked a Soyuz flight to the orbiting International Space Station but did not disclose the name or when. “We are booked for the next three years. The earliest booking available is at end-2009,” the space firm executive said.

Singapore-based spaceport

Space Adventures Ltd., a Virginia-based space firm said Tuesday that it was looking for financial partners for its for a Singapore-based spaceport to launch suborbital tourism flights, according to the International Hearld Tribune.
Last year Space Adventures indicated that it was seeking partnerships to build the $115-million spaceport. But Eric Anderson, president and chief executive of Space Adventures Ltd., told the media that the company was also looking at a number of other Asian locations for its spaceport, including China, Japan and Korea, but remained confident of the Singapore project's success.
"There is not enough local support... we are still looking for local partners to help finance the Singapore project but it certainly remains a possibility and we are still working through it right now," Anderson said at the Forbes Global CEO Conference.

Soyuz TMA-11 Ready for Oct 10

Malaysian Research Angkasawan Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor; Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, Soyuz Commander and ISS Flight Engineer; and American Astronaut Peggy Whitson, the first female International Space Station Commander for Expedition 16 are set for launch October 10, 2007 from the the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This will be Whitson's second 6-month stay aboard the ISS having served as the Science Officer on ISS Expedition 5.