The UAE on Saturday revealed plans to send the first female Arab astronaut into space as the second batch of the country’s Astronaut Programme was announced.
In a new step that translates to the UAE’s relentless pursuit towards global leadership in the field of space exploration, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the names of the two new Emirati astronauts.
Nora AlMatrooshi and Mohammed AMulla were selected from more than 4,000 applicants and their training will soon begin for international space flights, he said in comments published by state news agency WAM.
“We congratulate them and count on them to raise the name of the UAE ever higher in space,” he added.
The two new astronauts join astronauts Hazzaa AlMansoori and Sultan AlNeyadi to form a team of four under the UAE Astronaut Programme, serving the strategy of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) base.
AlMatrooshi obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the UAE University in 2015 and has years of experience in the field of engineering.
AlMulla at the age of 19 obtained a commercial pilot’s licence from the Australian Civil Aviation Authority to become the youngest pilot in Dubai Police.
He is currently the head of training department of the Air Wing Centre at Dubai Police and has received the Bravery Medal from Sheikh Mohammed.
The announcement comes as the UAE continues to carve a strong name for itself in the global space sector, capitalising on the recent success of the Hope Probe, the first Arab mission to Mars.
The national space sector has recorded investments of more than AED22 billion over the past few years,
Yousuf Hamad AlShaibani, director general, MBRSC, said: “Today we continue on our journey to script a new scientific history for the Arab region in the field of space exploration, which was launched thanks to the vision of our wise leadership and guidance towards realising our dream of being at the forefront of the space sector.
“The UAE Astronaut Programme is central to achieving this ambitious vision, as it aims to build a knowledge-based economy for the youth of UAE that will be critical for advanced future projects. This will help us achieve the vision of our leadership that has taught us that nothing is impossible, and that the ambition of young Emiratis must go beyond the limits of space.”
Salem AlMarri, assistant director general for Scientific and Technical Affairs and head of the UAE Astronaut Programme, MBRSC, added: “We are delighted to have Nora AlMatrooshi and Mohammed AlMulla join the UAE Astronaut Programme.
“We were excited and proud to see the interest and enthusiasm from Emirati youth when we opened the registration for the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme, which allows them to be part of a national programme that aims to represent the UAE in one of the most important technological and scientific fields that will shape the future of the world.”
The two new astronauts will be trained in human spaceflight, research and space flight control, and will also be trained to carry out missions in low orbit.
Under the training programme, the astronauts will be trained to manage various missions on the International Space Station, including simulated spacewalks and long duration stay, along with training in major systems, robotics, extravehicular activity, T-38 jet courses, water and land survival, Russian language skills and theoretical training.
Hazzaa AlMansoori and Sultan AlNeyadi were the astronauts selected in the first batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme.
AlMansoori’s eight-day mission to the International Space Station, which took place from September 25 to October 3 in 2020, saw 30 scientific experiments being conducted.
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