Dubai - He is a former military pilot, with more than 14 years of experience in flying.
Published: Sat 13 Apr 2019, 12:00 AM
Updated: Sun 14 Apr 2019, 10:26 AM
Hazza Al Mansoori will become the first Emirati astronaut to fly to space this September for an eight-day trip to the International Space Station.
The former military pilot, with more than 14 years of experience, was chosen from over 4,000 applicants who applied to the UAE Astronaut Programme by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
The announcement on the selection was made by the Dubai Media Office on Friday. The back-up astronaut will be Sultan Al Neyadi, a former IT professional.
Salem Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Science and Technology Sector and Head of the UAE Astronaut Programme, said that the advanced levels of proficiency achieved by Al Mansoori and Al Neyadi show that Emirati youth have the determination and ambition to succeed in all fields. He said MBRSC continues to invest in Emirati youth to push this sector forward.
"Al Mansoori and Al Neyadi are both undergoing the training to ensure that they are ready to travel to ISS. Al Mansoori is undergoing his training with the prime team, while Al Neyadi is undergoing his training with the backup team. Each team consists of three astronauts," Al Marri said.
Al Mansoori will be presenting a tour inside the ISS in Arabic, where he will explain the components of the station and the equipment on board. He will also be conducting earth observation and imaging experiences, interacting with ground stations, sharing information, as well as documenting the daily lives of astronauts at the station.
During his stay at ISS, Al Mansoori will undertake a scientific mission to study the impact of microgravity in comparison with that of gravity on Earth. This mission includes 15 experiments that will be selected based on MBRSC's 'Science in Space' competition, which targets schools in the UAE.
The reaction of vital indicators of the human body will be studied before and after the trip to compare with Earth results. This is the first time this kind of research will be done on an astronaut from the Arab region. The results of this study will later be compared with research conducted on astronauts from other regions. He will also be assigned to complete existing scientific missions at ISS laboratories.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com
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