Government Should Provide Bigger Capacity Programmes, Research - National Astronaut

KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 (Bernama) -- The government should provide bigger capacity programmes and research for greater impact when sending astronauts into space in the future. National astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha (picture) said the government should continue efforts to explore science and research on a global level in outer space to enable Malaysia to contribute positively to mankind. "The level of research and programmes for national astronauts in the future need to surpass the studies that I had carried out on the International Space Station (ISS)," he said. He was speaking in a dialogue session at the 'An Evening with the National Astronaut' ceremony in the Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting and Information Institute here on Thursday. Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who is attached to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's Institute of Space Science (National University of Malaysia, UKM) , said society should also change its perception that research in space was a waste. He said the result of the national astronaut programme succeeded in fostering the interest of youths to study science and aerospace. During his nine days on ISS under the National Astronaut Programme with two astronauts from Russia, Fyodor Yuchikin and Oleg Kotov, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor had carried out specific studies related to bacteria and cancer cells which were handed to the science, technology and innovation ministry to carry out the balance of the research. (photoBERNAMA) MALAYSIA