First and foremost, we would like to make it clear that the religion of Islam seeks not to cause any hardship to its adherents or burden them beyond their capabilities. Easiness and facilitation are main characteristics of Islam. Almighty Allah says, [Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that you may give thanks] (Al-Ma’idah 5:6). Allah also says,[Allah tasks not a soul beyond its scope] (Al-Baqarah 2:286).
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Religion is easy, and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way.”
This concept of facilitation and easiness in Islam is clearly manifested in the religion’s simple and flexible legislations. Islam bears into consideration people who have certain excuses, thus it facilitates its rulings in a way that such people will not face any hardship when abiding by Shari`ah precepts. Prayer in space serves as an example of how Islam seeks facilitation in its legislations. If the Muslim in outer space cannot identify the qiblah or make wudu‘, he should do his best without forsaking the obligation of Prayers.

Dr. SanoKoutoubMoustapha, deputy chairman of the International Fiqh Academy and professor of fiqh and its principles at the International Islamic University, Malaysia, states: Certainly, it is common knowledge that Prayers and fasting are considered pillars of Islam. Therefore, Muslims must perform them at thier level of best. Each of them has prerequisites and conditions. For salah, wudu‘ (ablution ), arrival of the time, and facing qiblah are prerequisites of Prayer. In this regard, the Muslim must fulfil these conditions before performing the Prayer.
It is also of common knowledge that the obligation of Prayer is not dependent on these prerequisites. In other words, there is no relation between these prerequisites and the obligation of the Prayer, thus Prayer is obligatory upon all Muslims regardless of these prerequisites. For instance, if a Muslim fails for whatever reason to identify the qiblah and make wudu‘, this failure will not change the obligatory status of the Prayer. Thus, he or she must do his or her best to perform the Prayer.
It is wrong to claim that if one fails to identify the time of the Prayer or the qiblah, he or she should not perform the Prayer. He or she must perform it at his or her level of best. In other words, no matter where he or she is, the obligation will remain.
In this context, I would like to take this opportunity to call upon our brother who said what you referred to in your question to correct his view on this issue. I am sure he was right when he mentioned that Islam is simple and easy. This statement is very correct; based on it, people in outer space are allowed to perform Prayers at their level of best. In other words, no body should ask them to take wudu‘ or face qiblah as if they were on Earth. They just need to do their best as Dr. Muzafar correctly and greatly did during his historic journey.
I assume that our brother is aware that the simplicity and easiness of Islam do not mean the cancellation of its pillars and obligations nor do they mean the submission of its principles to realities. The simplicity and easiness stand for doing those pillars and principles at our level of best. For instance, if we are not able to offer Prayer standing up, we are automatically allowed to pray sitting down. If we cannot do so, then we are allowed to pray while lying down. This means that we must perform the Prayer at our level of best.
For sure, no one will never say that if we cannot pray by standing up then the prayer will not be obligatory upon us. I am also sure that no one will never say that if we fail to identify the qiblah then we are not obliged to pray. Certainly, he will say we have to pray based on our level of best.
all in all, I hope our brother who said such a statement will have the courage to correct this unfounded claim and incorrect analogy. The truth is that the absence or inability of doing the prerequisites will never nullify or cancel the obligation of Prayer.
The simplicity and easiness of Islam means doing its obligations at our level of best. It does not mean at all to cancel or nullify its pillars in the name of simplicity or easiness.
May Allah guide us all, and may He forgive our beloved brother for this obvious mistake and wrong claim.