Succeeding isn’t usually the challenge, it’s the continuity that makes all the difference. Last year, the UAE achieved a huge milestone in its journey towards space exploration, after the first Emirati astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori traveled to the International Space Station (ISS), marking the country’s first mission into space. Following that accomplishment, the UAE’s people and its leaders, were committed to promoting the space industry and investing in developing it. On Saturday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the selection of the second batch of Emirati astronauts, Noura Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla.
As part of their training programme, the two astronauts from the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme will be joining the ‘2021 Nasa Astronaut Candidate Class,’ at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Additionally, they’ll also be trained to manage multiple missions on the ISS.
As we celebrate International Day of Human Space Flight, we celebrate the UAE’s accomplishments in science and technology, and its aspirations in leading the region’s scientific march, as well as empowering their youth in achieving their ambitions in scientific and space exploration.
Here’s everything you need to know about the two promising Emiratis, Noura and Mohammed.
Noura Al Matrooshi
Born in 1993 in Abu Dhabi, Noura’s passion for space started when she was young. Back then, she enjoyed stargazing. She worked as an engineer at the National Petroleum Construction Company and was the vice president of the Youth Council at the company for three years consecutively. Al Matrooshi is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In 2011, she ranked first in the UAE for the International Mathematical Olympiad, and in 2013, she was selected for the 2013 UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme in South Korea. In 2015, she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the United Arab Emirates University.
Mohammed Al Mulla
Being the youngest pilot in Dubai Police at 19 years-old, and the youngest flight instructor at 28 years-old, Al Mulla is a commercial pilot license holder, and a holder of a flight instructor license from the Australian Civil Aviation Authority. With 15 years of experience and over 15,000 flight hours, Al Mulla works as a pilot at Air Wing Centre, the Dubai Police, and heads the training department there. He also received the Bravery Medal from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.