Career

Sheikh Muszaphar was born in Kuala Lumpur and attended high school at
Maktab Rendah Sains, MARA in Muar. He then earned a Bachelor of
Medicine and Surgery degree from Kasturba Medical College,
Manipal, India.[5]. He was pursuing his Masters of Surgery in Orthopaedic
Surgery at University Kebangsaan Malaysia when he joined the
'Angkasawan' program.
Sheikh Muszaphar is an orthopedic surgeon,[6] and a university medical
officer in medicine at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.[3][7] In 1998,
Sheikh Muszaphar worked at Hospital Seremban, followed by a move to
Kuala Lumpur General Hospital in 1999, and was on staff at Hospital
Selayang from 2000 through 2001.[5] Sheikh Muszaphar is also a part-time
model.[8][9][10]

Angkasawan program

Sheikh Muszaphar and three other finalists were selected at the beginning
of 2006 for the Malaysian Angkasawan spaceflight program. The program
arose after Russia agreed to transport one Malaysian to the ISS as part of
a multi-billion purchase of 18 Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter jets by
Malaysia. After completing initial training at Star City in Russia, Sheikh
Muszaphar and Faiz Khaleed were selected to undergo an 18-month
training program in Russia, at the end of which Sheikh Muszaphar was
chosen as the prime crew member, while Faiz Khaleed served as back-up.
[11]
Following the final medical tests and training examinations, on
September 17, it was announced that Sheikh Muszaphar would be flying on
the Soyuz TMA-11 mission.[12]
During a NASA news conference with the Expedition 16 crew on July 23,
2007, and news conferences following his selection, Sheikh Muszaphar
said he hoped to be able to take various live cell cultures to study during
his flight.[1][13]
Terminology
Flying as a guest of the Russian government,[14] Sheikh Muszaphar's role
aboard Soyuz and the ISS is referred to as a spaceflight participant in
English-language Russian Federal Space Agency and NASA documents
and press briefings.[4][15][16][17]
Speaking to Malaysian media outlets, Alexander Karchava, the Russian
ambassador to Malaysia, stated that Sheikh Muszaphar is a "fully-
fledged cosmonaut".[18] In an interview with the Malaysian Star
newspaper, Robert Gibson, a retired NASA astronaut, shared his opinion
that Sheikh Muszaphar is fully qualified as an astronaut, and as such, he
should be called one. Gibson also said he regarded Sheikh Muszaphar as
a peer.[19]

spaceflight
Soyuz TMA-11 carrying Whitson, Malenchenko, and Sheikh Muszaphar,
successfully launched at 13:22 UTC, Wednesday, October 10, 2007.[20][21][22]
After 11 days in space, Sheikh Muszaphar boarded Soyuz TMA-10 for his
return. TMA-10 undocked from the ISS at 07:14 UTC on October 21, and
deorbit occurred at 09:47. During atmospheric re-entry, the spacecraft
transitioned to aballistic reentry, resulting in it landing west of Arkalyk,
approximately 340 km (211 mi) northwest of the
intended Kazakhstan landing site.[23] The trajectory was reported by the
crew as soon as they came out of the communications blackoutcaused by
plasma surrounding the spacecraft. A ballistic trajectory is a backup re-
entry mode that takes over if something fails during normal re-entry. A
Commission of Inquiry determined that the ballistic re-entry was caused by
damage to a cable in the spacecraft’s control panel, which connected the
control panel with the Soyuz descent equipment.[24] Landing occurred at
10:36 GMT.[25]
Space experiments
Sheikh Muszaphar performed experiments on board the International
Space Station relating to the characteristics and growth of
liver cancer and leukemia cells, the crystallisation of various proteins and
microbes in space.[26]
The experiments relating to liver cancer, leukemia cells and microbes will
benefit general science and medical research, while the experiments
relating to the crystallisation of proteins, lipases in this case, will directly
benefit local industries.
Lipase are a type of protein enzymes used in the manufacturing of a
diverse range of products from textiles to cosmetics, and the opportunity to
grow these in space will mean a possibility for Malaysian scientists to take
a crack at an industry worth some USD2.2bil (MYR7.7bil) worldwide by
producing these locally.[27]

Personal data
Birthdate: 26.07.1972

Birthplace: Kuala Lumpur

Selection date: 09.01.2006

Selection group: Malaysia

Job: Spaceflight Participant (UKP)

Status: Ret. 21.10.2007

Spaceflights
No. Mission Job Time Duration

10.10. -
1 Soyuz TMA-11 / Soyuz TMA-10 Spaceflight Participant (UKP) 10d 21h 14m
21.10.2007
Additional information
Master of science degree in Orthopaedic Surgery at University
Kebangsaan Malaysia; currently Orthopedist at University Kebangsaan
Malaysia Hospital in Kuala Lumpur; hobbies: yoga, meditation, swimming
and gymnastics; selected for the Program Angkasawan Negara by the
Malaysian National Space Agency (ANGKASA); one of two finalists for
training in Russia; first Malaysian astronaut in space.

ANGKASA Astronaut
Status Active

Born July 27, 1972 (age 38)

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Other Orthopedic Surgeon

occupation

Time in 10d 21h 14m

space

Selection 2006 Angkasawan program

Missions Soyuz TMA-11, Soyuz TMA-10