The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center announced the results of the second phase of the "Emirates Simulation of Space" project, and included 10 candidates from more than 100 applicants, and two of them will be chosen, one of which is primary and the other a reserve, to form together the number one crew.

This mission comes as part of the program "International Scientific Research in the Unique Earth Station", which is known by the acronym "Sirius". The mission includes an experiment to simulate life in a space environment, which extends for eight months, and is conducted at the Institute of Biomedical Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, The center was opened for registration to participate in the program last February.

The mission will focus on studying the impact of isolation in a closed place for a long period of time on the psychological and physical condition of the human being, within the framework of the “Mars 2117” strategy launched by the UAE with the aim of supporting research to make future long trips to space exploration.

Participation in the program stipulated that the applicant must be a citizen, between the ages of 25 and 55, with mastery of communication in the English language, while the preference would be among applicants for specialists in the fields of: physics or biology, forensic medicine, psychology, mechanical engineering, information technology and electronics.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center revealed yesterday the results of this stage that included five women candidates, among them the youngest candidates, who are 25 years old, while the oldest candidates are a man of 40 years, and the list showed that all the candidates are coming from a variety of professional backgrounds, Engineering, medicine and science included.

The Director General of the Center, Youssef Hamad Al-Shaibani, said: “The UAE has made great strides in the field of research and space exploration, thanks to the long-term vision of leadership, which is the main driver in the further development of our local capabilities, and progress towards building a knowledge-based economy, through participation in projects. The global size of the Cyrus project 21/21.

He added that «the space simulation project represents a great importance, as it is a unique platform on a global level that allows us to work with the elite of global experts in various fields that include health, science and technology and other fields, and those experiences will fortify the space programs for the Emirates for the coming years.

The 10 candidates are scheduled to undergo a medical examination, measure their level of physical fitness, and ensure that they do not suffer from chronic disease, then undergo psychological tests through interviews to be conducted remotely, and these tests vary between the ability of the candidates to work together, and measure their commitment to the instructions, and their ability To stay calm when they are under stress, along with their ability to manage time effectively, along with other tests.

After the completion of these tests, the final interviews of the candidates will be conducted with a team that includes experts from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in the first week of May next, after which the number one crew consisting of two persons, one of whom is primary and one of the reserve, will be chosen.

Skills required for the mission

Adnan Al Rayes, director of the "Mars 2117" program at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, confirmed that all the candidates who were chosen for the preliminary list of the "Emirates Space Simulation Project" are highly qualified and educated, especially with regard to the skills required for the mission.

He said, “We are able to overcome the challenges associated with the mission, and we look forward to selecting the final crew members from this group of talented candidates, since their vast experience and the experiences of other crew members chosen for the mission will contribute to achieving strategic goals (Mars 2117), and enable us to face greater challenges in the midst of Our space exploration trip. ”

- Candidates will undergo physical and psychological tests before the final interview in May.