Malaysia's First Astronaut in Space

A 35-year-old Muslim doctor, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, is aboard the International Space Station for an 11 day visit. He is not only the first Malaysian in space, but the first Muslim to celebrate Ramadan in orbit.

It feels strange to write those words above, because I am living in Singapore. Of the two nations, Malaysia and Singapore, the latter has always prided itself on being the more advanced, the more modern, the more "together" of the two - yet it is a Malaysian who is in space, today, not a Singaporean. This is one first that Singapore will never, now, be able to claim. Perhaps, one day, there will be a Singaporean in space. It would be good to see. Who knows, maybe Singapore will have its own space authority, one day. However, today is Malaysia's triumph - and the Malays'.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who is an ortopaedic surgeon and University lecturer, took off from Baikonur space station, in Kazakstan with two other astronauts, US Commander Peggy Whitson and Russian Yuri Malenchenko, both space veterans. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was selected from an amazing 11,000 candidates, in a deal with Russia over a $1billion purchase of jets. The canny Malays bargained their way into space as part of the purchase deal. That bit of political manouevering has won them a place in Space history, as far as South-East Asia and the Muslim world are concerned.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor's colleagues will be staying in space for a full six month stint. His words prior to lift off echoed Irish American astronaut Neil Armstrong's when he said: "It is a small step for me, but a giant leap for Malaysia". He promised to share his experience with all Malaysians - and Muslims - on his return.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged seven years and ten months, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and three months, and Tiarnan, twenty months, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)