PETALING JAYA : Eight candidates have been short-listed for the Malaysian Astronaut programme and they will now have to go for a one-one interview with a select panel of experts.
They are :
Malaysia Airline pilot Mohammed Faiz Kamaluddin
AirAsia pilot Kelvin Lim Hock Seong
Automotive designer Mohd. Bostami Ahmad
Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan medical officer Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
Royal Malaysian Armed Forces dental surgeon Faiz Khaleed
Esso Malaysia Bhd machinery engineer Muhammad Husaini Hashim
Engineer and project manager Norazlan Shah Mahadi
Senior quality engineer S. Vanajah, who is the sole female candidate.
The candidates have just completed a series of medical, aero-physiological and psychological tests by a technical panel.
They will go through another selection round to pick four candidates to be sent to Russia next month for a comprehensive two-week medical test at the Russian Space Agency.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will announce the names of the four candidates in the middle of next month.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Jamaluddin Jarjis said the select panel, chaired by former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar, would look at their personal fitness, personality, spirit and state of preparedness, including family support.
Having completed the medical, physiological and psychological tests, they will be interviewed and personally assessed by the select panel," he said when announcing the names of the candidates here yesterday.
Dr. Jamaluddin said the select panel would receive input from the Russian technical evaluation committee before picking the two candidates to undergo an 18-month training programme at the Russian Space Agency in Star City, Moscow.
One will get the chance to spend seven to 10 days in space in October next year with a group of cosmonauts.
The candidates will also have to undergo medical tests, including neurology and adaptation to micro gravity conditions.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will announce the names of the two successful candidates in April.
Members of the select panel are Vice Chairman of Genting Berhad Y.A.Bhg. Tun Mohammed Hanif bin Omar, Director General National Space Agency of Malaysia Prof. Datuk Dr. Mazlan Othman, former Tenaga Nasional Bhd. Chairman Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali, Air Force chief Jen Datuk Seri Nik Ismail Nik Mohamed, and Multimedia Universiti President Prof Datuk Dr Gauth Jasmon and .
The Star
9th February 2006 |
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