An Emirati has begun an eight-month stay in a Russian facility, where he will live in near isolation to replicate the experience of a lengthy space mission.
Saleh Al Ameri is part of the Sirius 20/21 project that measures the psychological and physiological effect on human beings living in the extreme environments that astronauts face during space travel.
The international crew of six entered the NEK experimental complex in Moscow on Thursday, where scientists will observe their behaviour using cameras installed throughout the facility.
You’re going to go through a lot of training, work, and you don’t know how your crew members will react during isolation and under stress, so you have to be patient
Saleh Al Ameri,
Emirati analogue astronaut
The 31-year-old is the first Arab to be part of an analog mission – field tests that simulate lengthy space journeys. These are crucial to understanding how space flight affects the body and mind, as governments and private companies work towards landing human beings on the Moon, again, and Mars.
Mr Al Ameri spoke to The National a few hours before he was locked inside the facility, and mentioned the emotional and mental challenges that he will have to endure.
“Whenever I'm stressed, I will try to find ways to become relaxed and more confident,” he said.
“I’m going to do many studies, talk to the crew, do many activities. This is the first Emirati and Arabic analog mission, but it will not be the last one.
“We are looking forward to becoming experts in human research programmes by involving and developing new future projects that benefit other sectors, like medicine and science universities.”
'Travelling to the Moon'
Crew members will simulate a space journey to the Moon as part of the experiment.
In the first few weeks, the analog astronauts will dock their "spacecraft" with an interplanetary station and transfer to a transport ship that will take them to the Moon.
They will dock with the "orbital station" and perform simulated spacewalks outside the floating structure.
This will be followed by several lunar landings and data analysis, before ‘ their "return to Earth".
The experiment is part of a five-year research programme by Russia’s Institute of Biomedical Problems and Nasa’s Human Research Programme.
It involves three Sirius missions, the first of which was completed in 2019 when six crew members lived in isolation for four months.
The final one is expected to be 12 months long and the most challenging.
“I'm a patient guy and that was one of the criteria to be chosen as an analog astronaut,” Mr Al Ameri said.
“You’re going to go through a lot of training, work, and you don’t know how your crew members will react during isolation and under stress, so you have to be patient.
“I will try to make our friendship stronger and maintain that for 240 days.”
Food and living conditions
There are dedicated rooms for each participant that help with privacy, while a small living room will allow them to socialise and watch television.
Each bedroom has a bed, desk and a cupboard.
The complex is made of tubular modules and the structure has its own atmosphere and air pressure to create a space-like environment.
They will not be able to make phone calls to anyone in the outside world. Limited emails and video calls to their families are allowed.
Meals will involve the same dehydrated food that astronauts eat on the International Space Station.
Mr Al Ameri said he has been provided with the same Emirati meals that Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati man in space, took with him to the ISS.
These include madrooba (chicken and rice), saloona (chicken, fish, lamb or beef stew), and balaleet (vermicelli dessert).
“There are many varieties of dishes, including Russian, Japanese, American and the food Hazza took with him to the space station,” he said.
“We will also provide the crew members with Arabic dates and Arabic coffee. I hope that they will enjoy them and try to learn more about Arab culture.”
While the tasks will keep the crew busy, Mr Al Ameri plans to spend his free time reading and trying to improve his chess skills.
Why is the UAE participating?
The UAE plans to take part in several analog missions as part of long-term plans to send Emiratis to the lunar surface and to build a human settlement on Mars by 2117.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre is building a Dh500 million ($136 million) Mars simulation city in Dubai, with construction expected to begin next year.
The design includes analog facilities that can be used by Emiratis and other international participants in the future.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
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SQUADS
Bangladesh (from): Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mohammad Mithun, Mushfiqur Rahim, Liton Das, Taijul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain, Nayeem Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadat Hossain, Abu Jayed
Afghanistan (from): Rashid Khan (capt), Ihsanullah Janat, Javid Ahmadi, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Qais Ahmad, Sayed Ahmad Shirzad, Yamin Ahmadzai, Zahir Khan Pakteen, Afsar Zazai, Shapoor Zadran
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
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Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
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- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
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- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
INFO
Everton 0
Arsenal 0
Man of the Match: Djibril Sidibe (Everton)
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
THE BIO
Bio Box
Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul
Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader
Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet
Favorite food: seafood
Favorite place to travel: Lebanon
Favorite movie: Braveheart
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
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