An Emirati pilot has completed a 45-day Mars simulation mission inside a Nasa habitat in Houston, Texas.
Shareef Al Romaithi, 39, a captain with Etihad Airways, and his three American colleagues “flew to the Red Planet” to carry out walks on its surface and solved problems that arose on their “spaceship” using virtual reality technology.
The crew members began the Human Exploration Research Analogue (Hera) mission on May 11 when they were locked away in a three-storey habitat, with very little communication with the outside world.
This was phase two of the overall project that aims to measure the psychological and physiological effects of prolonged confinement and isolation, similar to those that would be experienced during extended space travel.
“Being part of this analogue study has been an incredible journey of discovery and learning,” said Mr Al Romaithi in a statement released by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) after the mission ended on Tuesday.
“The challenges we faced, from communication delays to living in confined quarters, provided a glimpse into the complexities of long-duration space missions.
“Our work here will pave the way for future explorers, and I look forward to seeing how these studies will impact human space flight.”
The crew carried out 18 experiments designed to help researchers evaluate the crew's physiological, behavioural and psychological responses as they tackled problems as a team while living in a confined space.
Six experiments were designed and developed by universities in the Emirates, including the United Arab Emirates University, the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences and the American University of Sharjah.
Salem Al Marri, director general of the MBRSC, said that the universities' involvement was key in helping the UAE in becoming part of the international space community.
“These Earth-based simulations are indispensable as we work together towards better preparing astronauts to overcome the challenges of deep space missions,” he said.
“The active involvement of UAE universities in conducting critical studies within these analogue studies also underscores our dedication to fostering a robust scientific community and leveraging local expertise.”
Mr Al Romaithi and his teammates also spent some of their time growing lettuce and “flying drones on Mars” to help researchers see how the crew carries out routine tasks while in isolation.
The Hera habitat measures 60.39 square metres. The ground floor includes workspaces, a laboratory, a kitchen and an airlock, while the upper floor has private sleeping quarters, a bathroom and a flight deck.
The compact living conditions were not a problem for Mr Al Romaithi, who mentioned in a media briefing last month that his career as a pilot meant he was accustomed to working in confined spaces.
Hera is a critical component of Nasa’s efforts to prepare for long-duration space trips, including future missions it hopes to carry out to the Moon and Mars.
By simulating the conditions astronauts would face on such missions, Hera allows researchers to study various factors including team dynamics, how well astronauts manage their resources and the impact of isolation.
Nasa has carried out several Hera campaigns over the years, with volunteers assigned to different phases, or missions, in each campaign.
This was the fourth campaign, with the first phase completed in March. The third and fourth phases will take place in August and November.
The UAE is keen on taking part in projects as such because it hopes to build a settlement on Mars by 2117.
An Emirati astronaut has also been assigned to travel to the Lunar Gateway in future, a planned Moon-orbiting station that Nasa and its partners are developing.
The country is quickly emerging as a powerful space nation in the region, having reached Mars with its Hope probe and two astronauts who were sent to the International Space Station, including one who completed an extended space mission and performed a seven-hour spacewalk.
It also reached lunar orbit with its Rashid rover, which was aboard Japan's Hakuto-R Mission 1 Moon landing vehicle.
The vehicle attempted a landing on the lunar surface, but failed.
Engineers at the MBRSC are now developing Rashid 2 and are hoping to secure a lander.
In October, space centre will attempt to launch MBZSat satellite, a domestically-built Earth-imaging satellite, aboard a SpaceX rocket.
