Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was the winner in a nationwide hunt which drew tens of thousands of hopefuls. Army dentist Faiz Khaleed, 26, was chosen as the back-up astronaut, or "angkasawan" as they are known in the Malay language.

"I pray to God that he will ensure the success of your mission and raise the profile of Malaysia in the international arena," Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at a ceremony to announce the winning candidates.

The pair who will now undergo 18 months of training in Star City, Moscow, came from a shortlist of four -- three men and one woman -- who spent spent a month in Russia undergoing tests to determine the best contender.

The project was conceived in 2003 when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian to the space station as part of a billion-dollar purchase of 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets.

It came at the end of the two-decade reign of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, whose think-big attitude created a national catch-phrase -- "Malaysia Boleh!" or "Malaysia Can" -- aimed at boosting national self-confidence and pride.

Malaysia, a Muslim-majority nation, hopes the space project will be an inspiration for Muslims across the globe and recall the glory days of Islamic science and discovery.

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