Nasa chief Bill Nelson has welcomed the UAE’s newest astronauts to the space agency’s training programme in Houston, Texas.
On Monday, a ceremony was held at the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base to introduce Nasa's 2021 class of astronaut candidates. The candidates will train for two years to qualify for missions to the International Space Station and to the Moon under the Artemis programme.
Mohammed Al Mulla, 33, a Dubai Police helicopter pilot, and Nora Al Matrooshi, 28, a mechanical engineer, will train with American astronauts as part of an agreement between Nasa and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
“It’s my honour to introduce a couple of more explorers. Nasa is venturing further out into the solar system but America is not going alone. We are partnering with space agencies from around the world,” Mr Nelson said.
“Today, we are joined by two United Arab Emirates crew members – Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammad Al Mulla. Over the next two years, they will train with this class of candidates and they will strengthen the bond between our two nations.”
Once their training begins in January at the Johnson Space Centre, Ms Al Matrooshi and Mr Al Mulla will learn the space station's systems, the Russian language and robotics. They will also learn how to perform spacewalks, undergo leadership training and receive instruction in flying T-38 supersonic jets.
Graduating from the programme would qualify the trainees for missions to the ISS, taking off from the US on spacecraft built by commercial companies. They could also take part in Artemis missions.
Discussions between Nasa and the UAE on the Emirates joining the Artemis programme, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, are continuing.
The UAE’s first two astronauts, Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi, have already completed one year of their training at Nasa.
They are scheduled to return to Houston at end of this year to continue their progress in the programme.
Nasa introduced 10 American astronauts – six men and four women – who will be part of the 2021 class. Most would likely walk on the Moon if the Artemis missions are successful.
“We’ve made many giant leaps throughout the last 60 years, fulfilling President Kennedy’s goal of landing a man on the moon,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of the Johnson Space Centre.
“Today we reach further into the stars as we push forward to the Moon once again and on to Mars with Nasa’s newest astronaut candidate class.”
With the addition of these new candidates, the US space agency has selected 360 astronauts since the original Mercury 7 – or Astronaut Group 1 – in 1959.
Most of the new recruits have a background in the US military, with experience in the Air Force or Marine Corps. Their ages range from 32 to 45.
Anil Menon, 45, is an Indian-American recruit who served in the US Air Force and was also SpaceX’s first flight surgeon.
Christopher Williams, 38, is a physicist who completed his residency at Harvard Medical School. His most recent work was in the radiation oncology department at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Stage 5 results
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 3:48:53
2 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team -
3 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott -
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:04
5 Ilnur Zakarin (RUS) CCC Team 0:00:07
General Classification:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 20:35:04
2 Tadej Pogacar (SlO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:01
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:33
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:48
5 Rafał Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:02:11
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
SHAITTAN
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The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Indika
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