The second astronaut programme will be continued if there is adequate allocation under the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP), said Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Fadillah Yusof.

He said currently the government was focusing on 12 projects under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEAs) and no specific provision was provided for the astronaut programme under the 10MP.

"We hope the second astronaut programme can be continued within five years depending on the allocation of funds and we hope to more better revenue from the 12 NKEAs," he told reporters after launching the Sarawak Zone's Malaysian Innovative Carnival at the Kuching Waterfront here today.

malaysia astronaut dr sheikh muszaphar shukor Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha, an orthopaedic surgeon, was the first Malaysian to go into space, at a cost of RM40 million to the Malaysian government.

The Russian government underwrote costs of RM75.8 million as part of a deal in which Malaysia bought 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets.

He was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Soyuz TMA-11 with the Expedition 16 crew on October 10, 2007.

He flew under an agreement with Russia and performed experiments on board the ISS relating to the characteristics and growth of liver cancer and leukaemia cells, and the crystallisation of various proteins and microbes in space.

Besides Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, Malaysia's second astronaut, Major Dr Faiz Khalid was also put through his paces at the Yuri Gagarin Astronaut Training Centre, Star City, Russia for 12 months.

Dr Faiz, who is still attached with the armed forces, has been seconded to the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry since the programme was instituted.

The astronaut programme was announced by the then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in August 2003 and attracted more than 11,000 candidates.

- Bernama