The UAE's astronauts currently in Houston will soon learn how to operate SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule for an upcoming trip to and from the International Space Station.
The country secured a six-month stay at the orbiting science laboratory as part of the Nasa-Space Crew-6 mission, with a launch scheduled next spring from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre on a Falcon 9 rocket.
Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati to fly to space in 2019, now qualify for Nasa-led missions after completing a two-year basic training programme by Nasa in Houston. Only one of them will go to space, while the other will be the back-up astronaut.
Nasa said in a statement to The National that they are now training for the forthcoming mission.
“The astronaut corps for the UAE has been in training with Nasa at the Johnson Space Centre since 2019 under a separate bilateral agreement,” the US space agency said.
“Their training to date has been equivalent to Nasa Astronaut Candidates-level training, which includes spacewalk training, onboard systems and T-38 training. The UAE crew will continue on with training on the Crew Dragon spacecraft and start training on the international partner segments.
“By the Crew-6 launch date (April 2023), Nasa expects to have the assigned UAE crew member trained as a fully qualified Expedition crew member.”
Both astronauts previously learnt the systems of Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft in 2018 and 2019, when the UAE teamed up with the country to fly Maj Al Mansouri to the ISS. Mr Al Neyadi was the back-up astronaut for the mission.
The Soyuz capsule was designed for the Soviet space programme and has been operational since the 1960s.
While the design of the capsule is outdated compared with the new Crew Dragon, it is still a reliable transportation vehicle to the ISS, with a very low failure rate.
SpaceX’s capsule is also more spacious than the Soyuz, with enough space for seven crew members, compared with three seats on Russia’s spacecraft.
The Dragon successfully completed its first crewed flight to the station in 2019 after launching on top of a Falcon 9 rocket. This helped to return human spaceflight launches to US soil once again, after relying on the Russians for more than a decade.
Since then, SpaceX has launched four crewed flights for Nasa, with a fifth one planned for later this year.
To train for a ride on the Dragon, astronauts take part in simulations that focus on undocking and departing from the space station.
The simulator, designed to be a replica of the capsule, has flight-realistic hardware, displays and seats.
During the training, astronauts put their spacesuits on and configure the spacecraft for departure.
“Astronaut crews regularly train for all phases of flight, using simulations to practice normal operations and respond to any unexpected issues,” Nasa said on its website.
“These simulations typically include multiple ‘runs’ for a given day, with crew and flight controllers practising a specific phase of the mission.
“Using simulated data to train personnel, simulations introduce system failures and other challenges to give teams the opportunity to prepare for and understand potential anomalies that could arise during a spaceflight, all the while arming the crew with the skills needed for effectively overcoming these challenges.”
Currently, the astronauts are receiving more spacewalk training, although it has not been confirmed yet whether an Emirati will venture outside the ISS this time.
If so, it would be the first time an Arab astronaut performs a spacewalk.
Dr Al Neyadi, who could be the assigned astronaut for this mission, has been posting regular updates on his training on social media.
“In addition to the NBL (Neutral Buoyancy Lab) training, we use the Partial Gravity Simulator, POGO,” he said on Twitter.
“The system offsets the weight in a way that if l release my grip, I would float away with a minimum push.”
NBL, the world’s largest pool at 12 metres deep and 2.4 million litres of water, is where astronauts train for spacewalks.
They wear 130-kilomgrame spacesuits while performing tasks beneath the pool.
This helps to simulate microgravity and allows astronauts to work on a replica of the space station placed underwater.
Meanwhile, the UAE’s newest astronauts, Mohammad Al Mulla and Nora Al Matrooshi, started their basic training with Nasa in January.
They will soon be training on T38 Talons supersonic jets.
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
MEYDAN RESULTS
6.30pm Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh125,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer).
7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Galaxy Road, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Al Modayar, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh170,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 (D)1,200m
Winner Lady Parma, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Zaajer, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
Itcan profile
Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani
Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India
Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce
Size: 70 employees
Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch
Funding: Self-funded to date
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
Reading List
Practitioners of mindful eating recommend the following books to get you started:
Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr Lilian Cheung
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mindful Diet by Dr Ruth Wolever
Mindful Eating by Dr Jan Bays
How to Raise a Mindful Eaterby Maryann Jacobsen
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
