Meet Roshini, Malaysia's First Female Astronaut Candidate.

PUTRAJAYA: A university student is in the running to become the country's first female astronaut after winning the AXE Apollo International Space Academy (AASA): Malaysian Chapter challenge recently. Roshini Muniam, 27, will be Malaysia’s sole representative at the AXE Apollo International Space Camp in Florida , USA , this December.
 She said she was both nervous and thrilled to face the the contest's challenges, including being tested against the effects of gravity, which can take a toll on her mental and physical condition. Roshini will be among 100 camp participants from all over the world to take part in the contest. “I’m grateful to have been chosen to represent Malaysia at the international level."
 "Only 22 out of the 100 participants will be selected to be an astronaut so I hope that my dream of becoming the country's first female astronaut will be achieved through the support and prayers of all Malaysians," Roshini said this when met after meeting Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan at the ministry here today.
 The contest, which could see Roshini becoming the second Malaysian to enter space, was held in conjunction with legend astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s endorsement of the AXE Apollo deodorant spray. The announcement made by AXE, a men’s grooming product brand, marked the culmination of a six-month programme to recruit cadets for the space odyssey and the creation of the academy.
 Some 2,500 Malaysians participated in the contest, of which 160 were shortlisted before Roshini was announced as the winner. Roshini said she came to know about the competition from advertisements on the internet. "I never thought my past time of watching videos of astronauts could bring me this close to my dream of going into space,” she said.