9 October 2007: Not Lost in Space

If an orbiting spacecraft goes round the earth several times a day, at what time should the crew do morning prayers?

These and other urgent questions for Muslim astronauts are answered in the world's first comprehensive guidebook for Muslims in space.

The book, entitled Guidelines for Performing Islamic Rites at the International Space Station, has been 'launched' in time to be used by Malaysia's first Muslim astronaut, who will ascend to the orbiting laboratory this Wednesday. It explains how to perform ablutions, determine prayer times, fast in space, kneel on the ground while weightless and, perhaps most difficult when you are moving round the earth at nearly twenty thousand miles-per-hour: determine the location of Mecca when praying.