Mohammed Al Mulla, a former Dubai Police helicopter pilot, is training hard at Nasa to become an astronaut. Mr Al Mulla Twitter
An Emirati astronaut is set for a six-month mission to the International Space Station after the UAE bought a seat on a SpaceX rocket from private company, Axiom Space. Pictured is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with UAE's four astronauts at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress held in Dubai in October, 2021. Wam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GGRTNKGJ4EYRDT4IPS4ISKSHSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbc84dc0ab9c771293986be631d441c91711d1bdfb07d7fda44e35880c724b96&width=400&height=225)
An Emirati astronaut will ride to the ISS on SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule for the first time. Photo: SpaceX via AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GIO7NZBWWGVXIW5NV6MGHM3TGM.jpg?smart=true&auth=bdf258c5e10cafaa83255e5eed100af61c82a9cda6cef18261db530c880a0b7c&width=400&height=225)
Mohammed Al Mulla, left, and Nora Al Matrooshi joined Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi as UAE astronauts last year. Photo: MBRSC
The selected astronaut will be part of the SpaceX Crew-6 mission that is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2023 from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre. Photo: Dr Al Neyadi Twitter
Nora Al Matrooshi, the first Arab female astronaut, and Mohammed Al Mulla with their Nasa colleagues earlier this year when their training in Houston first started. Mr Al Mulla Twitter
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SUZJKATK3DVVHWSP7YTVOJDNHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=2fbf9afda43ac29440198299fa05d00bcc113b51993b7e96a052ebc5ee125ffa&width=400&height=225)
This will be the UAE’s second mission to space, following Hazza Al Mansouri’s historic eight-day trip to the orbiting laboratory in 2019 on a Russian Soyuz rocket. Photo: YouTube
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HHGFLJ4FU66X5O457HWJKX4RJE.jpg?smart=true&auth=647a7c2a425390cd300950b8af8d45191fbe5dbf389fb95f27fcff1693af3009&width=400&height=225)
The latest trip will be the first long-duration mission by an Arab astronaut, who is yet to be identified. Photo: MBRSC
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QCBOVTOP6EZ35I4XFLNL3S56WA.jpg?smart=true&auth=60a8e986243735756aea1e128f5875ba3c81a89092089bdfe86450ae939db88f&width=400&height=225)
The UAE's first astronaut in space, Maj Hazza Al Mansour, wore a Russian Sokol suit. But this time, the chosen astronaut will be wearing a SpaceX suit. Photo: MBRSC
Mohammed Al Mulla, a former Dubai Police helicopter pilot, is training hard at Nasa to become an astronaut. Mr Al Mulla Twitter
An Emirati astronaut is set for a six-month mission to the International Space Station after the UAE bought a seat on a SpaceX rocket from private company, Axiom Space. Pictured is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, with UAE's four astronauts at the 72nd International Astronautical Congress held in Dubai in October, 2021. Wam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GGRTNKGJ4EYRDT4IPS4ISKSHSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=cbc84dc0ab9c771293986be631d441c91711d1bdfb07d7fda44e35880c724b96&width=400&height=225)
An Emirati astronaut will ride to the ISS on SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule for the first time. Photo: SpaceX via AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GIO7NZBWWGVXIW5NV6MGHM3TGM.jpg?smart=true&auth=bdf258c5e10cafaa83255e5eed100af61c82a9cda6cef18261db530c880a0b7c&width=400&height=225)
Mohammed Al Mulla, left, and Nora Al Matrooshi joined Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi as UAE astronauts last year. Photo: MBRSC
The selected astronaut will be part of the SpaceX Crew-6 mission that is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2023 from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre. Photo: Dr Al Neyadi Twitter
Nora Al Matrooshi, the first Arab female astronaut, and Mohammed Al Mulla with their Nasa colleagues earlier this year when their training in Houston first started. Mr Al Mulla Twitter
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SUZJKATK3DVVHWSP7YTVOJDNHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=2fbf9afda43ac29440198299fa05d00bcc113b51993b7e96a052ebc5ee125ffa&width=400&height=225)
This will be the UAE’s second mission to space, following Hazza Al Mansouri’s historic eight-day trip to the orbiting laboratory in 2019 on a Russian Soyuz rocket. Photo: YouTube
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HHGFLJ4FU66X5O457HWJKX4RJE.jpg?smart=true&auth=647a7c2a425390cd300950b8af8d45191fbe5dbf389fb95f27fcff1693af3009&width=400&height=225)
The latest trip will be the first long-duration mission by an Arab astronaut, who is yet to be identified. Photo: MBRSC
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QCBOVTOP6EZ35I4XFLNL3S56WA.jpg?smart=true&auth=60a8e986243735756aea1e128f5875ba3c81a89092089bdfe86450ae939db88f&width=400&height=225)
The UAE's first astronaut in space, Maj Hazza Al Mansour, wore a Russian Sokol suit. But this time, the chosen astronaut will be wearing a SpaceX suit. Photo: MBRSC
Mohammed Al Mulla, a former Dubai Police helicopter pilot, is training hard at Nasa to become an astronaut. Mr Al Mulla Twitter
Who are the UAE’s four astronauts - and which is going on next space mission?
This will be a six-month mission to the International Space Station, the first long-duration space stint by an Arab country
![Sarwat Nasir](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F5a1721d1-b1fc-47a7-8c35-985395d5a5ae.png?smart=true&auth=59b598b8295381dbbb5492b5ef6a2ffa0d77e07c0a1086053fcdbee600f14b7f&width=70&height=70)
Sarwat Nasir
06 May, 2022
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