Nora Al Matrooshi will be the Arab world’s first female into space
UAE created history yet again with the latest announcement of the country’s astronaut corps. Nora Al Matrooshi is all set to become the first Arab female astronaut and join the elite list of women space pioneers. The 27-year-old Emirati engineer was chosen alongside Mohammed Al Mulla for training from NASA.
This announcement was made on Twitter by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. This latest groundbreaking announcement comes against the backdrop of the much-celebrated visit to the International Space Station by UAE’s first astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri last year and the globally lauded ongoing Emirates Mars Mission.
ALL ABOUT UAE’S ASTRONAUT CORPS
The UAE’s space program has made tremendous strides in recent years, and the country’s leadership is committed to supporting further space exploration and research. The programs developed and executed at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai are appreciated globally. Since its inception in 2014, an estimated AED 22 billion has been allocated for the MBRSC to work on different space exploration projects.
It’s fair to say that the investment has already started to reap excellent rewards. On the 9th February 2021, the UAE’s Hope Probe (Emirates Mars Mission) successfully entered Mars’s orbit. This probe will significantly expand our understanding of the Red Planet, with other space agencies using the data to assist related projects.
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?
The announcement of the selection was made by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, on Twitter:
“We announce today, two new Emirati astronauts … among them, the first Arab [woman] astronaut Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.
“They have been chosen from among more than 4,000 applicants and their training will soon begin with the NASA astronaut programme. We congratulate the country. We count on them to raise the name of the UAE in the sky.”
The head of the astronaut programme at MBRSC, Salem Al Marri, stressed that the selection process was exhaustive and the two best individuals from the group were selected for the task:
“The team at MBRSC has worked tirelessly after receiving applications to evaluate them according to specific criteria and standards, and then conducted successive evaluations to ensure the selection of the best candidates, until we reached this point to announce the new astronauts,” he said.
The Director General of MBRSC, Yousuf Al Shaibani, said that the new astronauts would pen new chapters in the history of space exploration by the UAE:
“With the first batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme, we were able to catch the world’s attention, by raising the UAE flag on the International Space Station,” he said.
“We still remember the pride that swept the country when the first Emirati astronaut took off to space. Today, we are moving towards achieving another momentous occasion by announcing the second batch and will continue on our plans to enhance the capabilities of Emirati youth in the space sector.”
FAQS
WHAT WAS THE SELECTION PROCESS LIKE FOR NORA AL MATROOSHI AND MOHAMMED AL MULLA?
An open and transparent process has been adopted by MBRSC to select new astronauts. Hazza Al Mansouri and reserve astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi were selected during the first batch.
This year, almost 4,305 Emirates applied for the spots, including 1,400 women. These applicants were shortlisted based on their age and educational profile. Out of the 4,305 requests, only 2,099 applicants successfully cleared the technical, IQ and personality assessments. Eventually, only 61 candidates went through after the strict preliminary and advanced medical exams.
From the final 61 candidates, 14 passed to the final interview and evaluation stage, conducted by UAE astronauts and two female NASA astronauts. Subsequent to the completion of that process and respective tests in fitness, teamwork and communications, 14 became just 4. From those final 4, Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla deservedly triumphed.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla have joined astronauts Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi to form a four-member team under the UAE Astronaut Programme.
The duo will join the first two astronauts for training at the NASA Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. There is a slight change in the process as Russian experts initially trained the first two UAE astronauts in Star City, Russia.
MBRSC and NASA have signed a contract, and the latter will train four Emirate astronauts under the “2021 Nasa Astronaut Candidate Class”. Astronauts Al Mansouri and Al Neyadi have already completed six months of training, whereas the newly selected duo will join them at the end of 2021.
After completing the 30-month training, all four astronauts will be qualified to undertake NASA-led space missions. On their mission, they will be able to see some landmarks on earth visible from space, including the Palm Islands in Dubai
WHAT WILL THE TRAINING PROGRAM COVER?
The training program will include the following aspects:
- Language training
- Carrying out missions in low-earth orbit
- Spacewalk training
- Human spaceflight
- Research and space flight control
- Systems training on the International Space Station (ISS)
WHY IS HAVING AN ARAB FEMALE ASTRONAUT SIGNIFICANT?
Since its inception in the 1960s, the field of space exploration has been largely dominated by men. Until 2020, out of the 550 astronauts who have gone to space, only 65 have been women. Hence, the selection of an Arab woman by the UAE is a significant step towards gender equality in the space race.
WHO IS NORA AL MATROOSHI?
Born in 1993, Nora Al Matrooshi has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Her work experience includes an engineering job at National Petroleum Construction Co. Additionally she was the Vice President of the Youth Council at the company for three years. In 2011, Nora ranked first in the International Mathematical Olympiad. It’s fair to say that Nora is exceptionally well prepared to take on the challenge.
How is her journey significant? It is hoped that Nora Al Matrooshi will become a symbol of inspiration across the region, with millions encouraged to follow in her footsteps. It also reaffirms the reality that, for anyone residing in the UAE, either male or female, hard work will ensure they have a great chance to achieve their goals.
The exciting projects underway at Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) are likely to change the course of human history. In a short span of time, MBRSC has made significant contributions to space exploration, which is all down to the vision and the commitment of the UAE leadership.
To learn more about the UAE’s space program, visit MyBayut.
Title image: Screen grab from official MBRSC video.
