NASA, UAE deal to train astronauts on robotics, spacewalking

Admin l Monday, Sept 21, 2020

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – The Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum  has announced the signing of an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for the   training of astronauts in the UAE.

HH Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who announced the development on twitter said  UAE astronauts will be trained on missions to the International Space Station, including space walks & long duration station missions. The program, he said  will also train  youth and  astronauts for future missions. The training will take place at Johnson Space Center in Houston, US later on in the year.

This agreement according to the NASA demonstrates the burgeoning NASA-UAE partnership and sets the stage for future cooperative activities in low-Earth orbit, and demonstrates UAE’s commitment to developing a world-class astronaut corps.

“The U.S. and UAE enjoy a strong relationship here on Earth, and we are excited to extend that relationship into the final frontier. The UAE has made extraordinary progress in the space arena in a very short amount of time with the successful launch of the Emirates Mars Mission ‘Hope Probe,’ the region’s first interplanetary spacecraft, serving as the most recent example of the UAE’s ambitious space program,” said NASA Deputy Administrator James Morhard. “This agreement to train Emirati astronauts will pave the way for even closer relations between our two nations creating new opportunities for the UAE to become involved in the International Space Station, Artemis, and other NASA activities.”

Under the agreement, UAE astronauts Hazzaa AlMansoori and Sultan AlNeyadi will begin training at Johnson this fall. The UAE astronauts will receive training in multiple areas of operations on the International Space Station, including major systems, robotics, spacewalking, and an array of leadership training.

Besides, two UAE astronauts will begin training next year, joining the anticipated 2021 NASA Astronaut Candidate class and training to the same level as graduates of the class.

Read also, STOLEN WORKS OF GALILEO, ISAAC NEWTON RECOVERED

“UAE astronauts will join the NASA astronaut office at Johnson to be integrated with NASA and international partner astronaut teams”, NASA said, adding that when astronauts are assigned to long-duration expedition missions aboard station, they then receive additional training specifically for their missions and spacecraft.

The training is expected to prepare the UAE astronauts for future long-duration station missions, but such missions are beyond the scope of this agreement.