Rebung Restaurant's manager, Lina Ali, was seen sobbing softly as tears of pride and joy trickled from her eyes as she watched the rocket's launch from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

"I'm overjoyed, but I'm also very frightened for his safety. But I'm also praying to Allah for his safety and I hope that nothing will happen to the rocket," she said.

The restaurant was packed with patrons who were there not only for their "buka puasa" (breaking of fast) fare but also in anticipation of Malaysia's first big leap into the final frontier.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar's driver cum bodyguard Ismail Sharif, 39, said the nation's pride and joy was a born leader and someone very easy to work with who was extremely determined to be the country's first man in space.

"He would tell me to drive 60 kilometres per hour or 40 kilometres per hour and he would run behind me. Then when we've reached our destination he would ask me how long it took for him to get there. He was always perfecting himself, improving himself so that he would be where he is now. I am so proud of him," he said with a smile.