Emirati Nora al-Matrooshi becomes first Arab woman astronaut

Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has announced that Nora al-Matrooshi has been selected for training by NASA for future space missions. "Announcing the first Arab woman astronaut among more than 4,000 candidates to train with NASA for future exploration missions," the Emirati prime minister said on his Twitter account.

Nora al-Matrooshi was born in 1993 and studied mechanical engineering at the UAE University, excelling in mathematics. In fact, she won first place for the country in the 2011 International Mathematics Olympiad. She has several years of experience in that field, and has also worked at the National Oil Company, where she was vice-president for three years of the company's Youth Council. "Her passion for space began at a young age, as she enjoyed going to stargazing events," the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre said in a video. 

The astronaut had to overcome a long and tough selection process involving 4,305 candidates, 33 per cent of whom were women. The process included tests of intelligence, personality and technical ability, according to WAM. In addition to Al-Matrooshi, another astronaut, Mohammed al-Mulla, has also been selected. Both will be part of a team of four Emirati astronauts, including Hazza al-Mansoori, the country's first astronaut to go into space in 2020 for a mission to the International Space Station. This team will receive training from NASA at the Johnson Space Center where they will train and learn about special manned flight and research for future operations in space. 

"The nation has given me unforgettable moments today. My goal is to work hard to achieve historic accomplishments that will forever be etched in the memory of our people," astronaut Al-Matrooshi said on Twitter. She also expressed her gratitude to the UAE astronaut programme. "Preparations and work begins now," she added. Hazza bin Zayed, brother of the Emirati crown prince and National Security Advisor, has welcomed the development. He congratulated those selected and noted that "women are key to development". This event is a breakthrough and an achievement for Arab women and will help boost women's presence in various sectors.

The UAE has been developing an ambitious space programme since it set up its own space agency in 2014. In February, the Amal (Arabic for 'Hope') space probe entered Mars orbit, making the Gulf state the first Arab state to successfully launch a space mission. It is also the fifth country in the world to reach the orbit of the red planet after the United States, India, the former Soviet Union and the European Space Agency. "The Emirates' Mars mission represents the aspirations that distinguish our country and reflects our leadership position in the Arab and Islamic world," said Mohamed bin Zayed. The Amal probe was launched by a Japanese rocket from Tanegashima on 20 July. The UAE has extensive cooperation with the Asian country in this sector, as it does with the United States. Abu Dhabi is also developing a project to build a human settlement on Mars in 2117.