First Eid party in Space

Today, Malaysia's first astronaut, Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor takes off for the International Space Station (ISS) from Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Shukor is the first Muslim to fly into space during the fasting month of Ramadan. He will throw an Eid party in space in between various research activities during his 11-day stay in ISS.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor is an orthopedic surgeon and university lecturer from Kuala Lumpur. He was selected from 11,000 Malaysian candidates in a deal the government arranged with Russia as part of a $1 billion purchase of Russian jets. Link

(L to R) Malaysian astronaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Peggy Whitson