The announcement of our first two Emirati astronauts heralds a new era in our nation’s history. Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Niadi will raise the UAE flag amongst the stars. Congratulations to the people of the UAE for this great achievement.
Comments have been made about the short time between selection and flight for the "guest cosmonaut" on this mission.The first Afghan cosmonaut, Abdulahad "Abdulah" Momand, was selected on February 2, 1988 and he was launched on August 29 the same year aboard Soyuz-TM 6 on a visit to the Mir Complex. I think that this is currently the shortest interval between selection and flight. Of course it was politicially-driven because of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, although the Soviets were withdrawing their forces.
There was s good BBC documentary about this gentleman not so long ago.https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04ltcgk
Thirty-four-year-old Hazaa Ali Abdan Khalfan Al Mansouri has a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Science and Military Aviation from the Khalifa bin Zayed Air College, has 14 years of military aviation experience, and has completed training programmes both inside and outside the country. In 2016, Al Mansouri qualified to be an aeronautical pilot and now pilots an F-16B60 aircraft.Thirty-seven-year-old Sultan Saif Muftah Hamad Al Niyadi has a PhD in Data Leakage Prevention Technology from Griffith University in Australia that he had obtained in 2016, as well as a Master’s degree in Information and Networks Security from the same university, a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Brighton University in the United Kingdom, UK, and completed a general education programme in IT in the UK in 2001.
Mon 08-10-2018 22:01 PMHamdan bin Mohammed takes pride in UAE’s two astronautsDUBAI, 8th October, 2018 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), said that the Emirati astronauts who are set to travel to space are a source of pride for the country, given the significance of the accomplishment. This signals the beginning of a new phase in the nation’s development journey, he said.He praised the MBRSC’s role in achieving the UAE’s ambition to establish a footprint in the space industry by supporting the implementation of the ‘UAE Space Programme’ and the ‘National Space Policy’.Sheikh Hamdan sent his best wishes to the two astronauts and the UAE Space Programme, saying that Emiratis have already demonstrated that they are capable of establishing leadership in various domains.Addressing the two Emirati astronauts Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Niyadi, who were selected by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as part of the UAE Astronaut Programme, Sheikh Hamdan said on Twitter: "We are proud of you, and of the efforts of MBRSC to fly the UAE’s flag high in the sky. A new Emirati record will be set in space."The two astronauts are undergoing a specially-designed intensive training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia. On completion of the training and preparations, one of them will be selected to join an 11-day Russian space mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on 5 April 2019 aboard a Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft.The intensive training covers processes following the launch of the spacecraft and rockets; working within the team entrusted with the mission process; identifying control panels; survival courses; dealing with emergencies on board, as well as learning the Russian language.The two astronauts will also receive training from the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA on what they will do at ISS.Yousuf Hamad Al Shaibani, Director General of the MBRSC, said: "Preparing Emirati astronauts according to global standards is an urgent requirement to significantly and directly contribute to the establishment of the infrastructure for the space sector in the UAE. Qualified Emiratis are the key to developing a strong space sector infrastructure. The training that is currently being given at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Russia will provide both Al Mansouri and Al Niyadi with the skills necessary to successfully carry out their research and scientific missions at ISS. The space flight will also enable them to gain the necessary experience through direct interaction with experienced astronauts, thus enabling them to reach the same levels of proficiency as that of astronauts from leading countries in the space sector".Eng. Salem Humaid Al Marri, Assistant Director General for Scientific and Technical Affairs and Head of the UAE Astronaut Programme at MBRSC, noted: "The visit to ISS along with all the physical and psychological preparations ahead of it represents a huge leap forward in the UAE Astronaut Programme. There are several projects that MBRSC plans to launch. It is therefore essential to learn from the experience of those who have reached advanced levels in space science. It is our objective to transfer these experiences to MBRSC to encourage Emirati youth in this sector."WAM/Hatem Mohamed/Tariq alfaham
Is it just me or does this seem a little "stunty" ? On the other hand, If these guys can get trained up and become effective in less than a year it maybe suggests that the other agencies might be overtraining a bit?
An astronaut of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who was scheduled to be sent on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in April, will not fly to space, as the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft that was supposed to return the crew to the Earth had an emergency landing in Kazakhstan, a source in the space industry told TASS on Saturday."In April, the Emirates’ astronaut will not definitely fly to the ISS. He will not fly because there is no spaceship. They should have returned to the Earth along with Alexei Ovchinin on board the Soyuz MS-10," he said.Nevertheless, there have been no considerations so far that Ovchinin would replace UAE astronaut in the Soyuz MS-12 mission to the ISS. It can be explained by the fact that two Russian cosmonauts are aboard the ISS now."A principal decision should follow so that the ISS Russian segment can host three members. The matter is not about Ovchinin, but that there should be a transition to a complete crew," he explained.
Sim with wonderful crewmates @astro_christina and Alexey Ovchinin! As usually crew instructor didn't let us chill out: O2 tank leak + descent module leak + spacesuit leak 》emergency descend with manual attitude control + main engine failure and ballistic reentry😁.
http://www.interfax.ru/russia/639510Soyuz MS-12 prime crew: Ovchinin, Hague, Koch
NASA astronaut Nick Hague, who was forced to abort his recent mission to the International Space Station, is scheduled to launch again Feb. 28, 2019, from the Baikonour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.Hague will launch with Alexey Ovchinin of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, who was his commander and crewmate on the aborted mission in October, and NASA astronaut Christina Hammock Koch aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft. The trio will join the station’s Expedition 59 crew and return to Earth in October 2019 as members of Expedition 60. Hague and Koch will serve as flight engineers for Expeditions 59 and 60. Ovchinin will serve as a flight engineer on Expedition 59 and the commander of Expedition 60.