KUALA LUMPUR - Space fever has gripped Malaysia as the nation prepares to watch its first astronaut blast off into space from a launch site in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, a doctor and part-time model, is to take off for the International Space Station (ISS) with Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and American Peggy Whitson.

Launch parties and activities are being held across Malaysia to mark the country's first foray into space.

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will be joined by some 280 students to watch a live broadcast of the launch of the Russian spacecraft.

Abdullah will also hold a teleconference with Muszaphar once he is settled in the ISS on October 14, the Utusan daily said Tuesday.

The education ministry has selected six students who will travel to Russia and chat live by satellite with Muszaphar while he is on his mission.

Newspapers this week have been abuzz with news and comment about the mission, as citizens embraced the idea of having one of their own in space.

Muszaphar has attracted interest with a promise that, if possible, he will observe the fasting regime of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan while on the space station.

Malaysian religious authorities have prepared guidelines on how to practice Islam in space. The station circles the Earth 16 times each calendar day, which would technically mean having to pray 80 times every 24 hours.

Muszaphar was chosen from thousands of hopefuls and underwent more than a year of training at Moscow's Star City.

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. - AFP/ir