Results of angkasawan's experiments in space expected next month

KUALA LUMPUR: Results of the experiments conducted at the International Space Station (ISS) will most likely be released next month.

Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha said the specimens had been sent to Japan.

“We are now awaiting the results from there,” he said at the opening ceremony of Universiti Tun Abdul Rahman (UNITAR)’s 10th Anniversary Fiesta.

In a spirited speech on his experience in space, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar urged the young to be more involved in the field of science and technology and to strive for their dreams.

“I congratulate UNITAR on their growing success for the past 10 years and I hope that in the following years, they will prove to be the best in Malaysia,” he said.

UNITAR president and vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohamad Zabid Abdul Rashid said the university hoped to offer courses on astronomy in the future.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar’s arrival at the opening ceremony was greeted with cheers from the crowd despite the pouring rain. He also presented 500 copies of his autobiography, Reaching for the Stars, to 10 selected secondary schools at the ceremony. The books were sponsored by UNITAR.

Reaching for the Stars was penned by Dr Sheikh Muszaphar’s late brother, Sheikh Mustapha Shukor Al-Masrie.

The two-day fiesta, which ends today, showcases an array of activities from beauty and grooming workshops to seminars and talks by industry experts in tourism.