Space travel can create several interesting challenges for Muslims, because some common Islamic practices are tied to geography on Earth or the orbits of celestial bodies.

For example, many Muslims pray by facing Mecca, but when orbiting Earth at 17,400 miles per hour, Mecca moves rapidly below the spacecraft. In addition, many Muslims pray five times a day, but astronauts experience sunrise and sunset every ninety minutes while they orbit Earth.

These quick sunrises and sunsets can cause confusion about when to pray, as well as when to fast during the holy month of Ramadan when many Muslims fast during the day. Many Muslims also prostrate during prayer, but this is nearly impossible in space due to the lack of gravity.

That's thought provoking

YOUR OBSERVATIONS ARE CORRECT.

BUT THE ORIGINAL PLACE OF WORSHIP FOR MUSLIMS IS HERE ON EARTH NOT ABOVE.

According to the document, determining which way to pray should be based on what is feasible and possible for the astronaut. The astronaut should try to face the Ka’bah and if it is not possible to do so, he should face the projection of the Ka’bah. Again if it is not possible to do so, he should face the Earth and if this was also not possible, he could face anywhere and pray.


One Muslim scholar, Dr. Kamal Abdali, was of the opinion that the Muslim astronaut can start his prayer trying to face in the right direction, just as someone getting on a train or plane. Start in the Qiblah’s direction but then continue the prayer without worrying about changes in your position.
After his return to Earth, Shukor relates to the Islamic View Blog his amazing journey and how he prayed and fasted on board the space ship.



“My trip to space took place during the holy month of Ramadan. Time for fasting and prayer depends where you are situated in space. As the space shuttle was launched from Kazakhstan, we took into consideration the local time in Kazakhstan. I had prayed five times a day by taking into consideration the time in Kazakhstan. You had to turn your face towards the Earth in order to pray in the direction of Makkah. The Space Station was in a position from where you could see the Earth directly. One needed to tie his feet during prayers as there was no gravity. One needed to act very slowly during the whole prayer,” Dr. Shukor noted.

https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/175812

The guidelines are much more reasonable: Daily prayer in space is not linked to sunrises and sunsets, but to a 24-hour cycle based on the "home" time zone of Baikonur, the Russian-leased launch site in Kazakhstan. Five meditations every 24 hours will suffice.

If interrupting work to pray is not possible, the astronaut may practice a shorter version of the prayer or combine midday and afternoon prayer times, or the evening and night ones.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.csmonitor.com/layout/set/amphtml/2007/1010/p16s02-stss.html



I have not personally researched this for academic purposes as yet but I'm on the assignment now.