Nora Al Matrooshi is the first female Arab astronaut. Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
Nora Al Matrooshi is the first female Arab astronaut. Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
Nora Al Matrooshi is the first female Arab astronaut. Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
Nora Al Matrooshi is the first female Arab astronaut. Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre

Science

UAE's first woman astronaut Nora Al Matrooshi gears up for intensive space training

UAE astronaut programme chief Salem Al Marri says the Arab world’s first female cadet has a bright future ahead

Sarwat Nasir
Sarwat Nasir
UAE

April 12, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

The first Emirati woman astronaut has a long and promising career ahead of her, the head of UAE’s space training programme said.

Nora Al Matrooshi, 27, was chosen as one of two new cadets.

Both will train for at least three years before possible selection for a mission.

Preparation includes learning to speak Russian, spacewalk and use systems on board the International Space Station.

Ms Al Matrooshi and her colleague, Mohammed Al Mulla, 33, will begin training in the UAE, then move to Houston, Texas, for a 30-month course at Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre this year.

Having somebody in their late 20s also gives us a big advantage. They can be part of our arsenal for a longer period of time

The astronaut who is selected for the next space mission will then undergo dedicated training, which typically runs for six to 12 months.

“We would select the astronaut who matches the mission criteria,” said Salem Al Marri, head of the astronaut programme at Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

“All of the four astronauts have a lot of skills and are accomplished professionals, but it would depend on the type of mission it will be.”

Hazza Al Mansouri, 37, the first Emirati in space, and reserve astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, 39, have completed six months of training with Nasa.

Next space mission

Mr Al Marri told The National  that the centre was in discussions with space agencies regarding the UAE's next mission.

“We are always in negotiations with all entities capable of launching humans into space but nothing has been signed yet,” he said.

“They would have to finish their training first and then go into a mission-specific training, whether that is with Russia or at Nasa.”

Russia’s Soyuz rocket carried Maj Al Mansouri to space in 2019, allowing him to spend eight days on the space station.

Since then, Nasa has also resumed launching humans to space through its commercial partner, SpaceX.

The UAE's first astronaut, Maj Hazza Al Mansouri, takes part in a Q&A session from the International Space Station with an audience at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai, in 2019. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The UAE's first astronaut, Maj Hazza Al Mansouri, takes part in a Q&A session from the International Space Station with an audience at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai, in 2019. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, talks with Emirati astronaut Maj Hazza Al Mansouri, during a live satellite feed from the International Space Station. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, talks with Emirati astronaut Maj Hazza Al Mansouri, during a live satellite feed from the International Space Station. Courtesy: Dubai Media Office
The Emirati astronaut takes questions from the audience gathered at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The Emirati astronaut takes questions from the audience gathered at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. Chris Whiteoak / The National
An aspiring young astronaut poses in front of a picture of the first Emirati in space, Maj Hazza Al Mansouri. Chris Whiteoak / The National
An aspiring young astronaut poses in front of a picture of the first Emirati in space, Maj Hazza Al Mansouri. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A woman films the Q&A session with Maj Hazza Al Mansouri from the International Space Station. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A woman films the Q&A session with Maj Hazza Al Mansouri from the International Space Station. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The audience at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre are delighted to hear from Maj Hazza Al Mansouri. Chris Whiteoak / The National
The audience at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre are delighted to hear from Maj Hazza Al Mansouri. Chris Whiteoak / The National
An aspiring young astronaut and her family at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre event. Chris Whiteoak / The National
An aspiring young astronaut and her family at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre event. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A young audience member celebrates the first Emirati in space. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A young audience member celebrates the first Emirati in space. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid talks to Maj Hazza Al Mansouri. Courtesy Dubai Media Office
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid talks to Maj Hazza Al Mansouri. Courtesy Dubai Media Office
Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, during a live satellite feed from the International Space Station. Courtesy Dubai Media Office
Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, during a live satellite feed from the International Space Station. Courtesy Dubai Media Office
Audience members at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre event sample space food. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Audience members at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre event sample space food. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Emirati astronaut Maj Hazza Al Mansouri gives his audience on Earth a tour of the International Space Station. Screengrab via Youtube Live
Emirati astronaut Maj Hazza Al Mansouri gives his audience on Earth a tour of the International Space Station. Screengrab via Youtube Live
Maj Hazza Al Mansouri demonstrates the effects of weightlessness. Screengrab via Youtube Live
Maj Hazza Al Mansouri demonstrates the effects of weightlessness. Screengrab via Youtube Live
Hazza Al Mansouri takes a live Q&A from space. He spent eight days on the International Space Station, in a mission from September 25 to October 3, 2019. Screengrab via Youtube Live
Hazza Al Mansouri takes a live Q&A from space. He spent eight days on the International Space Station, in a mission from September 25 to October 3, 2019. Screengrab via Youtube Live
Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al Mansouri, takes live Q&A from space and gives a station tour. Screengrab via Youtube Live
Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al Mansouri, takes live Q&A from space and gives a station tour. Screengrab via Youtube Live

Mr Al Marri said the astronauts’ youth would mean they can be part of several spaceflights, making the astronaut programme more sustainable.

“Having somebody in their late 20s also gives us a big advantage,” he said.

“Rather than recruiting somebody who is 40 or 45 years old today, we’d recruit someone [younger] who fits all of the criteria and meets the capabilities.”

International Space Station or Moon mission?

Mr Al Marri said the astronaut corps now consists of professionals who bring different and important skills.

Ms Al Matrooshi is a mechanical engineer and Mr Al Mulla is a helicopter pilot with more than 1,500 flight hours.

Maj Al Mansouri has one space mission to his name, and Mr Al Neyadi, an IT professional, speaks Russian and has completed intense astronaut training in Russia.

Their diverse skills could make them suitable for more Emirati space missions, whether to ISS or future Moon missions.

Hazza Al Mansouri, first Emirati man in space, wears a 130 kilogram-heavy extravehicular activities suit for spacewalk training. All photos courtesy of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
Hazza Al Mansouri, first Emirati man in space, wears a 130 kilogram-heavy extravehicular activities suit for spacewalk training. All photos courtesy of Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre
The suit is worn during spacewalks outside of the International Space Station and for training at the world's largest indoor pool at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas
The suit is worn during spacewalks outside of the International Space Station and for training at the world's largest indoor pool at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas
Located at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL), the indoor pool is 12-metres deep and has 2.4 million litres of water. It helps simulate microgravity and allows astronauts to work on a replica of the International Space Station placed underwater
Located at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL), the indoor pool is 12-metres deep and has 2.4 million litres of water. It helps simulate microgravity and allows astronauts to work on a replica of the International Space Station placed underwater
Sultan Al Neyadi, part of the UAE astronaut corps, wears his EVA suit for spacewalk training in the indoor pool
Sultan Al Neyadi, part of the UAE astronaut corps, wears his EVA suit for spacewalk training in the indoor pool
Sultan Al Neyadi puts his helmet on for spacewalk training under water. Mr Al Neyadi was one of two people selected from 4,022 candidates to become the first Emirati astronauts. Mbrsc
Sultan Al Neyadi puts his helmet on for spacewalk training under water. Mr Al Neyadi was one of two people selected from 4,022 candidates to become the first Emirati astronauts. Mbrsc
Mr Al Neyadi prepares to go underwater
Mr Al Neyadi prepares to go underwater
Mr Al Neyadi goes underwater with his EVA suit on for spacewalk training
Mr Al Neyadi goes underwater with his EVA suit on for spacewalk training
Astronauts can spend up to 10 hours per day at the bottom of the pool to practise maintenance work on the space station model and refine spacewalk techniques.
Astronauts can spend up to 10 hours per day at the bottom of the pool to practise maintenance work on the space station model and refine spacewalk techniques.
An Emirati astronaut underwater, refining his spacewalk technique. Performing a spacewalk is an extremely dangerous task and requires practise and skill. In 2013, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned when water leaked into his helmet during a spacewalk. In 2019, Nasa astronaut Chris Cassidy’s wrist mirror broke off, releasing thousands of pieces of space junk
An Emirati astronaut underwater, refining his spacewalk technique. Performing a spacewalk is an extremely dangerous task and requires practise and skill. In 2013, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned when water leaked into his helmet during a spacewalk. In 2019, Nasa astronaut Chris Cassidy’s wrist mirror broke off, releasing thousands of pieces of space junk
The Emirati astronauts are training for long-haul space missions at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. They are also training on T-38 jets, which helps a pilot experience seven G-forces because of the speed. It can fly up to Mach 1.6 and 12,000 metres high – that is 3,000m higher than average airliners.
The Emirati astronauts are training for long-haul space missions at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas. They are also training on T-38 jets, which helps a pilot experience seven G-forces because of the speed. It can fly up to Mach 1.6 and 12,000 metres high – that is 3,000m higher than average airliners.

“Mohammed is a helicopter pilot and that is a different set of experience,” Mr Al Marri said.

"He comes from a police background and that’s different to what Hazza and Sultan had as a military background.

“That’s a really great addition that we have and he’s also in his early 30s, which gives us an edge of having different age groups.

“I would say he’s almost a generation younger than the first two astronauts.”

Mr Al Marri said Ms Al Matrooshi’s engineering background would also prove beneficial for the nation’s space programme.

She has worked for Abu Dhabi’s National Petroleum Construction Company, which builds oil and gas platforms for companies including Adnoc and Saudi Aramco.

Ms Al Matrooshi is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

“Her skill set is very useful for different types of operations that astronauts conduct on the International Space Station, or even in the spacecraft itself,” Mr Al Marri said.

Johnson Space Centre congratulated the two new candidates.

“We look forward to training with you here in Houston,” the centre wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

The UAE has expanded its partnership with Nasa in the past few years. It signed the Artemis Accords for responsible lunar exploration and an agreement on training four Emirati astronauts on Nasa premises.

The Emirates is also continuing its collaboration with Russia.

It will sign an agreement to invest in modernising the Gagarin’s Start launch pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, to enable it to launch commercial space flights.

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  • The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
  • Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
  • It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
  • Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
  • Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
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Tomorrow 2021
The stats

Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)

On Women's Day
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On Women's Day
Biography

Her family: She has four sons, aged 29, 27, 25 and 24 and is a grandmother-of-nine

Favourite book: Flashes of Thought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

Favourite drink: Water

Her hobbies: Reading and volunteer work

Favourite music: Classical music

Her motto: I don't wait, I initiate

 

 

 

 

 

The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

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White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

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Bundesliga fixtures

Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm) 

RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm) 

Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm) 

Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn  (4.30pm) 

Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm) 

Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)

Sunday, May 17

Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),

Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)

Monday, May 18

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)

Omar Yabroudi's factfile

Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah

Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University

2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship

2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy

2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment

2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment

2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager

 

 

 

 

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
Virus and the economy
UAE v IRELAND

All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi

1st ODI, Friday, January 8

2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10

3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12

4th ODI, Thursday, January 14

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Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
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Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Price: From Dh801,800
Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

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