Topic: - The Prog. - Future
"I am willing to do much tougher training. There will be more challenges as the government wants to conduct more experiments and a space walk."
"I'm ready for it and my commitment is 100 per cent," he said after paying a courtesy call to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak yesterday.
Present at the meeting were the country's first astronaut, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, and Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis.
Russia has offered a place to Malaysia in the International Space Station (ISS) by 2010, based on the successful conclusion of Dr Sheikh Muszaphar's inaugural space programme with his landing on Oct 21.
Dr Faiz's said space training overseas would take three years.
Both he and Dr Sheikh Muszaphar will leave for Russia on Monday night for two weeks for an inauguration ceremony by the Russian National Space Agency (Roskosmos) to formally confer them the title of cosmonauts.
When they return, there are plans to send them to perform umrah with their families before going around the country to meet and greet the people.
Next year, they will have to undergo a three-month refresher course to maintain their fitness level and skills as cosmonauts.
National Angkasawan Programme director Col (Dr) Zulkeffeli Mat Jusoh said Russia had agreed that future flights by Malaysian astronauts would be more participative and this could include space walks.
Jamaludin said a memorandum of understanding on sending an angkasawan to the ISS by 2010 would be submitted to the Cabinet for deliberation next year.
It will include the confirmation of Malaysia's acceptance of Russia's invitation to send an astronaut to space and forging alliances with the aerospace industry.
Source: The Star Online