Malaysian astronaut Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha is enjoying his stay at the International Space Station (ISS) and wished to stay longer.

He told this to Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Jamaludin Jarjis from the ISS via a video conferencing held last night. The event was telecast live by Astro and local television stations.

"I'm enjoying and cherishing every moment of my stay at the ISS and wish I could stay here longer," said Sheikh Muszaphar, according to Bernama .

He added that the eight minutes that the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft took to enter the orbit seemed like "the longest moments of my life."

Bernama reported that Sheikh Muszaphar was in high spirits and looked cheerful while answering questions posed by Jamaludin.

An earlier attempt by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to talk to Sheikh Muszaphar via video conference on Sunday night failed due to bad weather in Moscow, Russia.

However, Jamaludin's 10-minute video conferencing proceeded without a hitch. It also allowed Malaysians to see Sheikh Muszaphar's mobility inside the ISS in microgravity and also hear Russian astronaut Yuri Malenchenko greet Malaysians.

Flight Engineer Malenchenko and Commander Peggy Whitson of the United States were the other crew members of the Soyuz TMA-11 that brought Sheikh Muszaphar to the ISS. It blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct 10.

Hari Angkasawan

During the tele-conference, Sheikh Muszaphar said he had completed his experiment on proteins for a potential HIV vaccine and that he would be involved in a second experiment today.

During the expedition, he will carry out four experiments drawn up by Malaysian scientists including a study of the effects of microgravity and space radiation on cells and microbes.

Sheikh Muszaphar is to return to earth on Oct 21.

He became the first Malaysian to go into space through a programme conceived in 2003 when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian to the ISS as part of Malaysia's RM3.4 billion purchase of 18 Russian-made Sukhoi jet fighters.

On another matter, Bernama quoted Jamaludin as saying that he would propose to the Cabinet to declare Oct 10 each year as " Hari Angkasawan " (Astronaut's Day).

"We will hold special events to mark this momentous occasion and have an exhibition gallery where Malaysians can get to see close hand our space exploits," he said.

He also added that a teleconferencing had been scheduled for Abdullah with Sheikh Muszaphar tonight.