UAE astronauts train at NASA’s Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
HOUSTON. KAZINFORM - Emirati astronauts, Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi began a training programme at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Centre, JSC, as part of the preparations for the first Emirati astronaut to travel to the International Space Station, ISS, in approximately 10 weeks from now, aboard the Russian Soyuz-MS 15, WAM reports.
The two-week programme includes training on various units and componentsof the US segment of the ISS, which includes the Japan Kibo laboratory and theColumbus Laboratory, to conduct scientific research in cooperation with NASA.
NASA also held a press conference for the mission's main crew, which isset to travel to the ISS on 25th September, 2019, and comprises flight leader,Cosmonaut Oleg Scripochka, and NASA Astronaut, Jessica Meir.
This is part of an agreement between the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre,MBRSC, and NASA to conduct a series of training programmes for the two Emiratiastronauts at the Lyndon B. JSC and to conduct scientific research suited toshort-term missions to the ISS.
The training the astronauts are undergoing includes receiving anoverview of the NASA equipment and devices onboard the space station, inaddition to handling emergency situations, especially ammonia gas leakage anddepressurisation.
Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Director-General of the MBRSC, said, «TheMBRSC is committed to building strategic partnerships with major internationalspace agencies, as part of our efforts to support the UAE in preparing Emiraticadres to enrich scientific progress to serve humanity and make furtherachievements in the space industry, science and research.»
Salem Al Marri, Assistant Director-General for the Science andTechnology Sector, Head of the UAE Astronaut Programme, highlighted that theseexercises are essential for enhancing the skills of Al Mansoori and Al Neyadito enable them to use the equipment at the ISS, and identify several aspects oflife aboard the station, such as preparing food. «By sending the firstArab astronaut to the ISS, the UAE contributes to enriching scientificexperiments that study microgravity, including its impact on the humanbody,» added Al Marri.
«This is a huge responsibility for us, and we are ready to do ourbest to make it a success, especially with the high-level training we arereceiving, and the hard work we do with the crew,» said Al Mansoori atNASA’s press conference. He will travel for an eight-day space mission to theISS aboard a Soyuz-MS 15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstanon 25th September, 2019, and return to Earth aboard a Soyuz-MS 12.