Thousands join the race to be UAE’s first in space

The goal is for the first Emirati astronaut to be sent to the International Space Station by 2021

More than 2,000 people have applied to become the country’s first astronauts, some of them in their sixties.

“The idea is to maximise the number of applicants,” said Dr Mohammed Al Ahbabi, head of the UAE Space Agency. “It is an indication that the level of talent is high.”

Four Emiratis, with at least degree-level qualifications and aged 18 or above, will be chosen this year to be the first members of an astronaut corps.

The goal is for the first to be sent to the International Space Station by 2021, the 50th anniversary of the country’s foundation.

Dr Al Ahbabi was speaking at the launch of a challenge designed to raise interest in space. The iShuttle website will present a series of problems for which the public can offer ideas and solutions.

The first challenge, aimed at pupils from Year 10 to university students, is to design an experiment to send up in a high-altitude balloon.

The winner will be awarded Dh3,000, with the experiments evaluated for inclusion in a real high-altitude mission.

The closing date for submission is the end of this month.

Dr Al Ahbabi said the iShuttle was one many initiatives planned by the agency. The idea, he said, was to “improve the awareness of space and open doors to talented people”.

“Where are they?” he asked. “Through this platform we will find out”.

The director compared the challenge to the Genes in Space competition, sponsored by

The National and won by Alia Al Mansouri, 15, from Dubai. Her experiment was sent to the space station last year.

“We want to open doors for so many Alias,” Dr Al Ahbabi said.

Dr Ahmad Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Knowledge, and chairman of the agency, said: “We seek to prepare and nurture generations of talented UAE nationals to become leaders in the space industry.”

The space industry is preparing for a series of major events this year.

On January 25, Al Yah 3 satellite will be launched from French Guiana, providing broadband coverage from Africa to Brazil.

The satellite will be part of a network operated by YahSat, the Abu Dhabi commercial communications company.

Two more satellite launches are due to take place in the year. Mysat is small cube satellite designed by Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, and Khalifa University of Science and Technology.

Only 10 centimetres on each side, it will hold two experiments including a camera for Earth observation and an experimental battery.

Finally, the first satellite to be entirely designed and built in the UAE will be sent into orbit over the summer.

KhalifaSat is operated by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre and was built in Dubai with an advanced camera system capable of capturing images only a few metres wide, as well as much larger areas.

It will be launched on a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries rocket in Japan in the middle of this year.

Four Emiratis will be chosen this year to be the first members of an astronaut corps