Emirati astronauts train at the US space agency "NASA"

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center and the US Space Agency "NASA" announced the signing of an agreement to train Emirati astronauts in the United States of America This comes within the framework of the UAE’s pursuit of global leadership and imprinting space exploration, in an important partnership that reflects the position reached It aims at preparing Emirati astronauts, and providing them with expertise and knowledge at the highest international levels, among the international entities in the space sector.

The agreement will include training for four Emirati astronauts, as the two Emirati astronauts Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi will start the advanced training program at the present time.

While the two pioneers of the second batch of the Emirates Astronaut Program will join the "NASA Astronaut Program for 2021" at a later time, in which the two astronauts will undergo the same training programs that NASA astronauts undergo.

The NASA training group will prepare Emirati astronauts on a physical and psychological level to undertake space exploration missions in the future.

The exercises will be held at NASA's Johnson Space Center, which is one of the largest advanced centers in the world. In general, training in human spaceflight, research and space flight control, and crews are trained to carry out missions in low orbit, by means of a project system. Analogue of Human Exploration Research, a project that examines how missions deal with periods of extreme isolation.

The Johnson Center is considered a pioneer in human space exploration for more than half a century, as it plays a pivotal role in enhancing technical and scientific knowledge, in order to benefit humanity. The center was founded in 1961 in Houston, and was at the forefront of American human spaceflight programs.

The role of the center’s personnel also appears prominently in enhancing the status of NASA space agency, through nearly 10,000 people, as a team of creative people who are able to push the boundaries of exploration innovations in the space sector.

The training program will include the same modules and components of the training of NASA astronauts, to qualify them to manage different tasks on the International Space Station, training on space-walking missions outside the station, staying for long periods in the International Station, and training in several aspects within the scope of operations carried out on board the International Space Station , Including dealing with station systems and robotics control, T-38 courses, Russian language skills, and other courses on leadership skills on the International Space Station.

The NASA training program holds great importance for all countries involved in this field.

The Emirati participation in this training proves the global position the space sector has reached in the country, as the UAE was able to reserve an advanced position among the elite of the leading countries in the field of space, with the cooperation of Emirati astronauts with the most important experts and specialists at the global level.

Hazza Al-Mansoori and Sultan Al-Neyadi had received a training group at the Yuri Gagarin Astronaut Training Center in Star City in Moscow in September 2018, as part of the preparations stages before the departure to the International Space Station.

In which the two Emirati astronauts, along with other astronauts, underwent intensive training that culminated in Hazza Al Mansouri's historic journey to the International Space Station in September last year, as the first Arab astronaut to visit the station.

In this regard, Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, said, “The global space sector is based on international cooperation and the idea of ​​building knowledge bridges between countries. Today we are consolidating this idea through a strategic partnership with NASA, which is A pioneer in the space sector for more than 60 years, and we look forward to strengthening partnerships with those global experiences that carry great strategic importance, and because of the wealth of knowledge, expertise and infrastructure that NASA has, it will support the capabilities of national cadres and serve the goals of the UAE space sector .

Al Mansouri added, "This agreement is a clear indication of the strength of the economic, cultural and diplomatic ties between the United Arab Emirates and the United States of America."

He added, "The UAE space sector stands today in an advanced stage in terms of capabilities and expertise that must be utilized and built upon in the most advanced future space missions, which will positively affect the UAE space sector system and our efforts to raise the efficiency of Emirati astronauts."

In the same context, the Director General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, Yusef Hamad Al-Shaibani, said, “This agreement embodies the objectives of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center in promoting the Emirates Astronaut Program, as one of the vital programs, towards establishing the UAE's position as a global partner in manned spaceflight, and working on Its development through permanent investment in specialized space training projects, and other projects related to scientific research and development of space technologies, and the agreement also comes as a basic pillar that is considered an entry point for future strategic partnerships, in a way that serves the UAE national space sector.

Al-Shaibani added: "The agreement with NASA aims to enhance the readiness of Emirati astronauts, and prepare them for future long-term space missions, while the agreement translates our efforts to confirm the active Emirati presence in this sector on a global level."

For his part, Deputy Director of NASA James Moorhard said, "The United States of America and the UAE have strong relations with regard to cooperation on the ground, and we are excited to expand these relations to new heights. The UAE has made great strides in the field of space exploration as part of the development process in the space sector." In a short period of time, this march recently culminated in the successful launch of the "Hope Probe" within the UAE project to explore Mars, being the first Arab mission to another planet. "

Moorhard added: "The agreement to train Emirati astronauts will deepen scientific cooperation relations between the two countries, which will create new opportunities for the UAE to become a key partner in the International Space Station, the Artemis program, and other programs and activities of NASA."

On his part, Director of the Emirates Astronaut Program, Eng. Salem Al-Marri, said, “This agreement serves the strategic objectives of the Emirates Astronaut Program, which is to enhance the position of the space sector in the UAE, and to contribute with our counterparts from all over the world in space research. This step constitutes a quantum leap for the program. The Emirates for Astronauts, which is considered one of the main pillars for developing scientific cadres and preparing future generations of astronauts according to the highest international standards. It also fulfills their aspirations to participate in scientific explorations and achieve the country's ambitions in this field. "

It is noteworthy that the Emirates Astronaut Program is one of the projects of the Emirates National Space Program, and it is directly funded by the Communications and Information Technology Development Fund of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), which aims to support research and development efforts in the telecommunications sector in the country, and to enrich, support and develop Technical services, and enhancing the integration of the UAE into the global economy.

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