Just last week, the UAE opened registration for aspiring Emirati astronauts to participate in the country’s next space mission and it was reported by the director of the UAE Astronaut program, Salem Al Marri, that over 1000 people had submitted their applications within the first hour.
The criteria so far, for the next astronaut to represent the UAE, is that they must hold higher education degrees and speak both English and Arabic – their current profession is irrelevant. Officials from the Dubai Media Office stated that the hunt for the next Emirati astronaut "marks new phase of the UAE's space exploration journey."
The UAE is serious about making its mark in outer space, and Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum took to social media to let nationals know that they could now register to be in with a chance, tweeting, "We're looking for a new Emirati astronaut for the UAE's second space mission... to those among our sons and daughters who see in themselves the energy and determination, register through the Mohammed bin Rashed Space Center.”
Though the UAE’s journey into space is still in very early stages, they’ve started off strong as the first ever Emirati astronaut. Hazza Al Mansouri, went on a mission to the International Space Station. After months of grueling and intensive training, he launched into outer space in the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft along with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and American astronaut Jessica Meir.
Journaling his entire journey on camera, Hazza Al Mansouri carried out a number of scientific experiments and took some incredible images. Whats more is that he represented his country out there as he dressed up in a traditional kandoora, and served up traditional Emirati food to his team mates in the spaceship as it shuttled to its mission. Returning to earth, the Emirati astronaut has received an honorary doctorate degree from the Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University, and has been lauded a national hero.
Did you know that in 2014, the UAE established its own Space Agency with a major goal of launching a probe to Mars. In 2016, the country and NASA signed a deal to work closely together to be able to reach the planet. It was in the same year that the Emirates Mars Mission was created, and now plans to send a spacecraft to explore the Red Planet in 2020, with the journey time expected to be around 7 months.
In an even more ambitious move, the UAE announced that in approximately 100 years time, they will be the ones to build the first city on Mars.
