Astronaut or Cannot

One of the reasons why our spaceman sheik is not being called an Astronaut or Cosmonaut. See the other crews experiences :


Experience by Peggy A. Whitson (Ph.D.)
NASA Astronaut

The Expedition-5 crew launched on June 5, 2002 aboard STS-111 and docked with the International Space Station on June 7, 2002. During her 6-month stay aboard the Space Station, Dr. Whitson installed the Mobile Base System, the S1 truss segment, and the P1 truss segment using the space station remote manipulator system, performed a 4 hour and 25 minute Orlan EVA to install micrometeoroid shielding on the Zvezda Service Module, and activated and checked out the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox, a facility class payload rack. She was named the first NASA Science Officer during her stay, and she conducted 21 investigations in human life sciences and microgravity sciences, as well as commercial payloads. The Expedition-5 crew (one American Astronaut and two Russian Cosmonauts) returned to Earth aboard STS-113 on Dec. 7, 2002. Completing her first flight, Dr. Whitson logged 184 days, 22 hours and 14 minutes in space.

Experience by YURI IVANOVICH MALENCHENKO
(COLONEL, RUSSIAN AIR FORCE)
TEST COSMONAUT AT THE YU.A. GAGARIN
COSMONAUT TRAINING CENTER

Malenchenko completed his first 126-day spaceflight in July 1 – Nov. 4, 1994 on the Soyuz TM-14 vehicle and the Mir station (Mir-16 mission). The mission included spaceflight of Ulf Merbold, an ESA astronaut as part of the EuroMir program. Malenchenko completed two spacewalks that lasted 11 hours and 7 minutes total. He performed the first manual docking of the Mir station with the Progress M-24 vehicle in the teleoperator mode. Since Oct. 1998 till Sept. 2000 Malenchenko trained at NASA for a Shuttle spaceflight (2A, later 2A.2B).
Malenchenko served on the crew of STS-106 preparing the International Space Station for the arrival of the first permanent crew. The five astronauts and two cosmonauts delivered more than 6,600 pounds of supplies and installed batteries, power converters, a toilet and a treadmill on the Space Station. Yuri Malenchenko and Ed Lu performed a 6 hour and 14 minute space walk in order to connect power, data and communications cables to the newly arrived Zvezda Service Module and the Space Station.
Since Jan. 2001 he trained as a commander of the ISS 7 prime crew. Malenchenko completed his third spaceflight (with NASA astronaut Ed Lu) as an ISS 7 crew and Soyuz TMA commander. The flight lasted from April 26 till Oct. 27, 2003, with a total duration of 185 days.
Since Nov. 2003 till Sept. 2005 Malenchenko trained with a group of test-cosmonauts.
Since Oct. 2005 till Oct. 2006 he trained as a flight engineer of the ISS 14 crew and Soyuz commander.
In Oct. 2006 he started training as an ISS 16 crew flight engineer and Soyuz commander that is scheduled to launch to the ISS in Oct. 2007.

Experience by Daniel M. Tani
NASA Astronaut

STS-108 Endeavour (December 5-17, 2001) was the 12th shuttle flight to visit the International Space Station. During the mission Tani served as MS-2. Endeavour’s crew delivered the Expedition-4 crew and returned the Expedition-3 crew. The crew unloaded over 3 tons of supplies, logistics and science experiments from the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. Tani performed a space walk to wrap thermal blankets around ISS Solar Array Gimbals. STS-108 was accomplished in 185 Earth orbits, traveling 4.8 million miles in 283 hours and 36 minutes, including an EVA of 4 hours and 12 minutes.
Experience by LÉOPOLD EYHARTS (General, French Air Force)
ESA Astronaut (Mission Specialist)

In August 1998, Léopold Eyharts was assigned by the European Space Agency to train at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. As part of the international astronauts of the 1998 class, he attended Astronaut Candidate Training which included orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques. Initially assigned to the Astronaut Office Space Station Operations Branch. Léopold Eyharts' assignments include serving as a flight engineer to the Expedition-12 and Expedition-13 back-up crews.

Experience by Garrett E. Reisman (Ph.D.)
NASA Astronaut (Mission Specialist)

Selected by NASA in June 1998, Dr. Reisman reported for training in August 1998. Astronaut Candidate Training included orientation briefings and tours, numerous scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in Shuttle and International Space Station systems, physiological training and ground school to prepare for T-38 flight training, as well as learning water and wilderness survival techniques.
After completing this training, Dr. Reisman was assigned to the Astronaut Office Robotics Branch where he worked primarily on the Space Station robotic arm.
In October 2001, Dr. Reisman was assigned to the Astronaut Office Advanced Vehicles Branch where he worked on the displays and checklists to be used in the next generation Space Shuttle cockpit.
In June 2003, Dr. Reisman was a crewmember on NEEMO V, living on the bottom of the sea in the Aquarius habitat for two weeks.
Dr. Reisman is currently training for a future long-duration mission on the International Space Station

And our Hero.....the man......

Experience by Spaceflight Participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor

Born in Kuala Lumpur, Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar obtained his high school education at Maktab Rendah Sains MARA in Muar. He then pursued his MBBS medical degree at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.(Yoi! where is this country)
Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar is an orthopaedic doctor and a trainee lecturer in medicine with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. Previously, he has served in Hospital Seremban (1998), Kuala Lumpur General Hospital (1999) and Hospital Selayang (2000-2001)

Some said he's part time model..........