Chosen among 4,305 Emiratis, the Arab world’s first woman astronaut Nora Al Matrooshi with Mohammed Al Mulla, 33, made a public appearance in a press conference at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre.
The press conference was live-streamed on MBRSC’s social media platforms.
Al Mulla is a pilot and head of the training department at the Dubai Police’s Air Wing Centre and Al Matrooshi is a mechanical engineer working at the National Petroleum Construction Company who has now made history as she is the first-ever woman Emirati astronaut.
Al Matrooshi knew it was her childhood dream to become an astronaut. She said, “I first started dreaming of becoming an astronaut when my teacher in kindergarten asked us to build a tent and pretend it was a spacecraft that was taking us to the Moon. Since then, I’ve become extremely passionate about becoming an astronaut.”
Confirmed in April as the latest members of the UAE’s space corps, both will work alongside Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati in space, and Sultan Al Neyadi on all future space expeditions.
The youngest pilot at Dubai Police, Al Mulla said, “Being chosen is a huge responsibility. Nora and I will, together, make sure we represent our country as best as possible and work closely with the first batch of our astronauts to make sure we are a strong team.”
Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said that Al Matrooshi and Al Mulla would “raise the name of the UAE in the sky.”
Both candidates will undergo proper training before they get considered for space missions.
Initiated in 2017, the UAE Astronaut Programme aims to prepare an Emirati astronaut corps for scientific space exploration as well as inspiring young people to study the science of space and technology.
Its strategic objectives include strengthening the UAE’s position in the international space sector by contributing to manned space missions and supporting the UAE’s vision of a prosperous future based on knowledge and scientific research.
The UAE recently became the first Arab nation in history to reach Mars as The Emirates Mars Mission conducted by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre had sent out the Hope Probe which returned with the first full picture of Mars.
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