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'I will miss them': UAE crew member Shareef AlRomaithi on being away from daughters during 45-day mission

The NASA simulation mission will see astronauts conducting medical research to virtual explorations of Mars

The UAE's Analog Programme Crew Member Shareef AlRomaithi set to partake in the forthcoming Analog mission, expressed that he will miss his three young daughters the most while he is away on this arduous mission that is set to boost global aspirations for the Mars exploration.

The 41-year-old Emirati pilot is transitioning from flying in the skies to embarking on a challenging NASA simulation mission for 45 days.

Joining AlRomaithi are Jason Lee, Stephanie Navarro, and Piyumi Wijesekara, who will enter the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) habitat at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas, USA, commencing on May 10.

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The second analog study of the UAE Analog Programme is designed to mimic life on board the space habitats where astronauts can conduct various types of research.

While answering a question posed by Khaleej Times during a virtual media roundtable on Thursday, Shareef AlRomaithi, the UAE Analog Programme Crew member said, “As a father of three little girls, I will miss them. The eldest is one year and four months, and the other two are twins. They are almost two-and-a-half months now. They are going through a lot of changes and I will be missing all of this.”

AlRomaithi reiterated he will be carrying with him the UAE flag, and family pictures, “especially the pictures of my daughters".

Anticipating joining UAE’s space sector

While he will be missing his family, in the same vein he reaffirms that his life’s focus has consistently been on preparing to enter the UAE’s booming space industry.

“I hope that this mission will be the beginning of a fruitful career in the space sector, where I can contribute to the advancement of space exploration. My entire academic journey starting from my Bachelor's all the way to my PhD, revolved around me anticipating joining the space sector.”

In the run-up to the preparations, he explained that he has been adhering to a strict diet, following a consistent exercise regime to ensure that he is “physically and mentally ready for such a mission.”

Two decades of preparation

Reflecting on the past, he recalled that his groundwork for such a mission had begun over two decades ago.

“When I embarked on my academic journey and started my aerospace engineering degree, followed by a series of other academic certifications…all of them provided me with the foundation that is required to be ready for such a mission.”

Highlighting the benefits of his pilot training for this mission, he emphasised that his experience accustomed him to operate within tight quarters, mentally preparing him for functioning in confined spaces.

“The flight deck is a relatively small workspace. It may not be for 45 days that I'm in there, but I'm usually there for quite a long time, especially for long flights when flying to North America and Australia, we can be sitting there for more than 10 hours. So, it has prepared me mentally, by (learning how to be) working in a confined space."

"Additionally, working as part of a crew, means we're usually working with a highly diverse team. In any regular flight my crew members can be between eight to 10 different nationalities which has also prepared me for this mission, as there is a lot of focus on diversity for this mission,” he added.

It’s worth noting that the HERA habitat spans 650 square feet and comprises two floors, with four bunks located in the loft area. “There are no doors, so there is no privacy. The only door onboard the HERA is the door to the airlock. Each section is designated for various activities, like conducting medical studies, virtual walks, and exercising,” he explained.

No off days

Sharing his daily schedule, AlRomaithi said the mission doesn’t allow for off days. Every day, from Monday to Sunday, their schedule will begin at 7am and continue until 11pm.

Their activities would range from conducting essential medical research to embarking on simulations of the Martian surface, ensuring they remain in top physical condition with regular exercise interspersed throughout the day.

He added, “There will be unscheduled emergency events that we would have to deal with to ensure the success of the mission. During these events, we will be required to work on it as a team, and in some circumstances, we will be required to work on it individually. However, during downtime we can spend it in several ways, either by exercising, reading books, or engaging with other crew members in social activities. For example, we're allowed to take board games with us so that can (also) have fun together.”

No reserve crew

Unlike the last mission where Analog astronaut Saleh Al Ameri entered an eight-month isolation mission with astronaut Abdullah Al Hammadi being the backup crew, this mission will not see a reserve astronaut.

Adnan AlRais, Assistant Director General Space Operations and Exploration Sector, MBRSC said, “This time, since it's a shorter mission of 45 days, we have one main crew member. However, we are looking for additional crew members for the third and fourth iteration of this campaign.”

He reiterated while simulating the conditions of space here on Earth, the idea is not only to test human endurance and adaptability but also to refine the technologies and strategies that will be pivotal for the success of future expeditions to the Red Planet.

“The Analog mission is another opportunity where we continue developing our capabilities on managing the operations of such programme as well as the opportunity to engage our science community, our universities, our researchers, and students who were participating in this mission throughout the six experiments. All that will help us in the implementation of our Mars 2117 strategy on sending humans to Mars in the future, and hopefully beyond that,” added AlRais.

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