Mohammed bin Rashid: We are looking for a new Emirati astronaut for the second mission

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, directed the opening of registration for the sons and daughters of the UAE, to apply to join the second batch of the «Emirates Astronauts Program», marking the start of a new stage in the UAE’s march towards leadership In the space sector, its sciences and discoveries, and to complete the work system aimed at achieving the strategic goals of the UAE in this field, in a way that serves the future of humanity, and confirms the positive contribution of the Emirates in making a better tomorrow for humanity.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum called on all those who feel in themselves the ambition, energy and determination of the sons and daughters of the homeland, to register in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, to take part in this exceptional experience, stressing the continuation of the Emirati efforts aimed at sharing international efforts in space exploration.

His Highness said in a tweet published yesterday, on his account on Twitter: “We are looking for a new Emirati astronaut for the second Emirati mission in space. For anyone who sees in himself the ambition, energy, and determination of our sons and daughters .. Register at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center http://www.mbrsc.ae/ astronauts The mission is continuing ... and our journey towards space is still in its infancy.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum affirmed that the UAE is going ahead strongly in implementing its ambitious program in the field of space exploration, and owning the leadership of its sciences, in order to supplement the capabilities of the national space sector with more promising Emirati cadres, to continue working to transform "Zayed's ambition" To new achievements that our country elevates to advanced levels in the field of space, following the successful and honorable start made by the UAE on September 25 by Hazza Al Mansoori, the first Emirati astronaut and first Arab to land on the International Space Station, and the efforts of the work team in the Mohammed bin Rashid Center For the supervisor space b Emirates .s. astronauts, and all who have contributed to achieving this dream, the name of the UAE remains strongly present on the map of the global space industry.

His Highness, Vice President of the State, had confirmed, during a call he had made with astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, while he was on the International Space Station last September, that “this great step for the UAE is only the beginning of a journey of hard work towards achieving space leadership. ». During his call to Al-Mansouri, His Highness said: "I am grateful that queues of daughters and sons of the Emirates will follow your steps to complete the march."

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center revealed that the work will start immediately to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to facilitate registration procedures for the second batch of the Emirates Astronauts Program, which is the first specialized program to prepare and train Emirati astronauts to participate in future scientific manned trips To space, to join the first Emirati astronauts: Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi, while benefiting from the great experiences that were gained during their preparation for this historic mission, and to serve the Center’s strategy based on achieving the vision of rational leadership of the space field UAE access to advanced centers in this sector and the sustainability of the national program.

The Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, said: “We succeeded in achieving many global achievements in the space sector within a short period, thanks to the leadership directives, which gave the UAE the opportunity to join the adult club in the field of space exploration, and we were able to reach To the International Space Station, at the beginning of a journey in which we aspire to reach a position of leadership in the space sector, its sciences and discoveries with the aim of enhancing the UAE’s contribution to improving human life on Earth. ”

He added: “We pledged leadership since the start of the program on its sustainability, through exerting utmost efforts and harnessing all energies to achieve the strategic goals of the national space program and upgrading the UAE’s position globally in the space sector.” He pointed out that “the national space sector has achieved qualitative leaps that are the largest in the region from Where ambitious projects and plans, and scientific contribution ».

For his part, the center’s director general, Youssef Hamad Al-Shaibani, said, “The willingness to open the door to the second batch of Emirati astronauts comes to complement future plans from the Emirates Astronauts Program, which is based on sustainability, preparing and empowering experts in various specialties related to the space sector, in addition to To involve the community in various national accomplishments ».

Al-Shaibani continued: «This step confirms the strategic goals of the program in building an economy based on knowledge and scientific research, and contributing to global space exploration missions, through the development and preparation of a team of Emirati astronauts, and the sustainability of the program, which contributes to the consolidation of the UAE’s position as a global partner in trips Manned space.

In turn, Eng. Salem Humaid Al-Marri, Director of the Emirates Astronaut Program, considered that «the start of registration for the second batch culminates in the great success achieved by the Emirates program in its first batch, and within a record period of time, thanks to the dedication of all members of the program, and the belief of the team in the important message They hold them on their necks to reach our ranks with the most advanced countries in this field, as are the rest of the areas in which the UAE has already reached advanced competitive levels at the global level. ”

Al-Marri continued, saying: "We have acquired great and important experiences during the last period in preparing the first Emirati astronauts, and we will work to benefit from those experiences in preparing the second batch of the program, in order to achieve the strategic goals set by the leadership for the future of the sector in the Emirates."

The efforts of the Emirates Astronauts Program, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, culminated in the seventh of December 2017, with great success embodied in preparing the first Emirati astronauts: Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi, and the implementation of the first Emirati manned mission to space With the arrival of the first Emirati astronaut, Hazza Al-Mansoori, on the International Space Station on September 25th, on an eight-day historical journey, during which he conducted more than 30 different scientific experiments.

Call for registration

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center invited male and female citizens of the country to participate in the second batch of the Emirates Astronauts Program, by registering on the center's website, before January 19, 2020, the final date for registration.

He said that the candidates will undergo a careful selection process, through several stages, to assess the health, mental and psychological aspects of them, to choose the most appropriate to join the program, which provides an opportunity to apply to everyone who meets the required conditions.

Conditions for progress

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center has set four conditions that must be met by male and female citizens wishing to join the «Emirates Astronauts Program»:

The applicant must be an Emirati.

He must not be less than 18 years old.

- Fluent in Arabic and English.

- To have a university degree (Bachelor's degree, and above).

The program accepts all majors in engineering, aviation, the military sector, education, science and technology sector, and other fields and disciplines.