Emirati astronaut Nora Al Matrooshi: First Arab ‘space girl’ set for orbital mission

Emirati astronaut Nora Al Matrooshi: First Arab ‘space girl’ set for orbital mission

Dubai: An Arab woman is on the cusp of joining an elite group of space pioneers. The UAE announced Nora Al Matrooshi, a 27-year-old Emirati engineer, as one for the country's two new astronauts. She was chosen alongside Mohammed Al Mulla, 33, a pilot. Al Matrooshi is the first female Arab astronaut. There had been only 65 women in space. She was chosen from over 4, 000 candidates to be trained for future exploration missions. The two form the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme. The announcement was made by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on Twitter. Four. Al Matrooshi and Al Mulla join astronauts Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi to form a four-member team under the UAE Astronaut Programme. They serve under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), whose vision is to usher in the UAE to become one of the leading space-exploring nations through its National Space Programme. These are some of the women who have led space exploration. After selection, the new UAE astronauts will train for at least three years before a possible selection for a future mission.