ASTRONAUTS DREAMT of reaching for THE STARS from childhood
Emirati astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Nora Al Matroushi got candid on how they dared to dream about going to space, even though the UAE was nowhere on the space map at that time.
Speaking at Expo 2020’s flagship Space Week, Al Neyadi also opened up about how he thought that his daughter would one day be the UAE’S first female astronaut.
Reiterating that despite harbouring a dream to be an astronaut, he had always felt it would be a far cry as the UAE’S space sector had barely sowed its seeds in the cosmic world at that time.
As fate would have it, Al Neyadi, who holds a doctorate degree in data leakage prevention technology, was chosen as a backup spaceflight participant in the UAE’S first astronaut programme. And the rest, as they, is history.
“I never let go of my dream of being an astronaut. In 2017 I took my daughter to the first science event run by Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) and `at that time I thought in 15 or 20 years my daughter could be the first female astronaut from the UAE.”
One month after that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-president and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the first open selection for all Emiratis for the first batch of the UAE astronaut corp. I was so elated and I told my daughter we’ll be going to space.”
Sultan Al Neyadi, along with Hazzaa Al Mansouri have recently completed their first year of training at the US space agency the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Breaking barriers
Meanwhile, Nora Al Matroushi, the UAE’S first female astronaut has broken the glass ceiling in more ways than one in achieving her dream.
The 28-year old who was also speaking at the Expo event, said: “It was my opportunity to achieve the dream that I wanted since I was a child.”
Talking about her journey and pursuing her dream despite rejections, Al Matroushi, who has completed her mechanical engineering, emphasised how relentless pursuit of her goal played a big part in her selection for the second batch of the UAE astronaut corps. “I was starstruck when I saw the two female astronauts Jessica Meir and Ann Mcclain and Hazzaa Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi at the final interview for the selection process. I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the interview,” she said.
“The powerful imagination of a child inspired me to be an astronaut. As I grew up that thought started building stronger within me. That time there was no astronaut programme, but children don’t look at boundaries. On December 6 2019 the leadership announced that they were looking for a second batch of astronauts.
“I did apply to the first batch but couldn’t make it. But the second batch was my second chance to achieve the dream I wanted to achieve as a child.”