The Chronology of Astronaut Selection

Hello guys ! :)

As for my second post, i would like to share more about the process of selecting an astronaut. I hope all the question marks in your mind will disappear after reading this. :D

Do you know that it was not easy to choose an astronaut?

There are two important criteria that people should have once they want to apply for the selection. First is the age. Second is the education or expertise. Only people who are in the age of 21st and above can attend the session. Besides, they are also need to have degree in professional pilot.

To be an astronaut, people need to have deep knowledge about the aircraft and they must be the one who are professional. This is because, there will be too many obstacles that we can't predict to be happened either when we are at the space or on the way go to the space and back to the earth.

The Malaysians who have a dream to be an astronaut were welcomed to apply for joining the selection process through online. 

So, do you know that there were about 11,275 Malaysians applied for the selection ? Unfortunately, only 894 people were fit to do running test.

There were about 6 selection process that had been done in the way to choose our first astronaut. Let's go through all the six process. :)

1st selection process

About 435 people involved in this first process which was running at a distance of 3.5 km only for 20 minutes. This programme had been held on August 28 and September 3, 2005 at several different location which were in Kuantan, TUDM Subang, Kuching, Lok Kawi, Johore, Butterworth and Penang.

2nd selection process

Only 199 people who were passed for the first test will go to the next selection process. This step of process involved medical basic screening test like the abnormalities, physical checkup, temperature and organs besides urine test.

3rd selection process

Third process was about the aero medical and only 59 participants were feasible at this stage. There were several tests that they should have which were:

• urine and drugs tests
• blood test
• blood test for biochemical serum
• blood test for HIV, Hepatitis B and VDRL
• physical measurement; heights by experts from Institute of Aviation Medicine (TUDM)
• body mass index (BMI)
• ear , nose and throat check-up at ATM Hospital
• sight check-up
• chest x-ray
• blood pressure
• heart beats (ECG)
• echocardiography (ECHO)
• teeth check-up            

4th selection process

As for the forth selection process which were aero medical 2 involved only 27 candidates. They have gone through stool inspection to see whether there's blood or not which included:

• Blood cells test
• Abdominal Ultrasound
• Lung function test
• Cardiac stress test
• Testing/ Evaluation of bone
• Altitude chamber

There have been also a test to evaluate the performance of the candidates at 25000 feet (level of oxygen). Only about 18 candidates passed this test.

5th selection process

For the fifth selection process, only 18 Malaysians were able to go through this selection. As for this process, all the candidates were undergone the psychiatric tests.

• psychology
• psychiatric
• psychology test ( group work)
• survival ( land and water)
• Russian language class and test
• technical competence
• Personal ability

6th selection process

Only 10 people were qualified to take:

• Brain CT scan
• Mammogram
• Repeat test bone density
• The endoscopic examination stomach and digestive gland
• Blood test
• Blood tests including serum biochemistry, function of the spleen, kidneys and
• cholesterol

First announcement

Only four candidates were announced to continue their selection journey. They were:

• Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
• Vanajah Siva
• Dr. Faiz Khaleed
• Mohammed Faiz Kamaludin

Second announcement

There were only two candidates who were chosen to have be trained at Russia who were:

• Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
• Dr. Faiz Khaleed