CONFIRMED: Astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri Has Been Selected To Become The First Emirati In Space
Short of 10 months ago, UAE delivered a landmark announcement.
HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai said that the UAE will sending its FIRST EVER astronaut to space.
The agreement was confirmed via an agreement with the Russian Federation.
Two astronauts were shortlisted from a pool of 4000 applicants: Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Nayadi became the UAE’s first astronauts to the ISS (International Space Station)
We announced today our first astronauts to the International Space Station: Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Nayadi. Hazza and Sultan represent all young Arabs and represent the pinnacle of the UAE’s ambitions.
Congratulations to the people and youth of the Emirates pic.twitter.com/UNqRXdtsjS
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) September 3, 2018
On Friday, the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced that it had selected Hazza Al Mansouri as the prime astronaut for the eight-day mission to the ISS
.@MBRSpaceCentre announces that it has selected Hazzaa Al Mansoori as the prime astronaut and Sultan Al Neyadi as the backup astronaut for the International Space Station (ISS) mission.https://t.co/w8RgjlpLf9 pic.twitter.com/Bye9eAn2CB
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 12, 2019
The 34-year-old was chosen as the prime candidate, whereas Sultan Al Neyadi will be the backup astronaut for September’s historic mission
The Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansoori will fly for an eight-day space mission to ISS aboard a Soyuz-MS 15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 25 September 2019 and return to Earth aboard a Soyuz-MS 12.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) April 12, 2019
Both the astronauts are currently undergoing intense training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia for the mission
A Soyuz-MS 15 spaceflight from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan will transport Al Mansouri into space on September 25 and will return him to earth on a Soyuz-MS 12 on October 3 .
Salem Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Science and Technology Sector and Head of the UAE Astronaut Programme, said:
“The advanced levels of proficiency achieved by Al Mansouri and Al Neyadi shows that Emirati youth have the determination and ambition to succeed in all fields.”
He also added, “Both men are both undergoing the training to ensure that they are ready to travel to the ISS. Al Mansouri 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.”
Come September, the UAE will record another historic milestone in the country’s proud history.
