Angkasawan program

Angkasawan ( Malay for astronaut ) is the name for the manned Malaysian space program. It was used to select a Malaysian astronaut flying to the International Space Station. The flight took place on 10 October 2007 with the ISS Expedition 16 on board Soyuz TMA- 11th The return flight was eleven days later with the returning ISS Expedition 15 Soyuz TMA- 10th

The program had both scientific and technological objectives, but was also meant as inspiration.

List of candidates

On September 4, 2006 announced in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the name for the first spaceman his country. It was the doctor Muszaphar Sheikh Shukor. As a substitute, the dentist Faiz Khaleed was provided.

The other two candidates in the selection of the last four for the first Malaysian space flight were:

• Siva Vanajah, 35
• Mohammed Faiz Kamaluddin, 34

All four trained together in Zvezdny Gorodok ( Star City translated ) in Moscow for their use.