KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 15 -- Malaysia's ambitions in the space sector may begin not with rockets or satellites, but with something more fundamental: changing the way Malaysians see and understand space.

Planetarium Negara director Mohd Zamri Shah Mastor said that before Malaysia can build a thriving space economy, it must first build something less tangible - a public that understands, accepts and is ready for it.

"Having a planetarium in the area is important for investors to see.

"They see that if there is a planetarium, it gives them confidence that people there know about space and have at least some knowledge of the sector," he told Malay Mail in a recent interview here.

He recalled how plans for a rocket launch pad in Malaysia had ...