An Emirati astronaut is expected to blast off to the Moon in the next decade, helping to place the first Arab in lunar orbit.
The astronaut would be living on Gateway, a planned station in the Moon’s orbit that would host crew before they descend on to the lunar surface.
It would offer a considerably different view than from the International Space Station (ISS), which is placed in low Earth orbit and from where the Moon is visible only from afar.
The Gateway, which is currently being developed on ground before assembly in space can begin, would be the first space station to be placed in lunar orbit.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre will help supply a crucial part of the structure – an airlock, a module that is used by crew and cargo to enter and exit the station, allowing astronauts to perform spacewalks.
In exchange, the UAE can send an Emirati to the Gateway.
Nasa is overseeing the project and space agencies contributing various modules to the station include those from Japan, Canada and Europe.
With the landmark deal now signed, The National looks at what a crewed mission on the international outpost would look like.
Training for the station
Astronauts assigned to the Gateway will first have to undergo training to carry out their mission.
Hazza Al Mansouri, the UAE’s first astronaut in space, on Monday told a conference in Oman that astronauts would receive training for the airlock.
“We're working to train astronauts and in future we will host astronauts from all around the world to train in the UAE for that airlock,” he said.
They would also need to be trained in operating Orion, the spacecraft the astronauts would use to travel to the Moon and dock with the station.
Astronauts would need to learn the technical systems of the Gateway, like they do on the ISS.
If a crew member is assigned to use a landing module, which SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing, to descend to the lunar surface, they would also need training in walking on the Moon.
A separate deal would need to be signed by the UAE to send one of its astronauts to the surface.
More dangerous than the ISS
Life on the Gateway would be different to the ISS, as the crew would be much further away from Earth, making rescue missions more difficult if things go wrong.
Because of the station's position in space, the crew would also be exposed to more harmful solar and cosmic radiation than aboard the ISS.
"Gateway will operate in a near-rectilinear halo orbit around the Moon, far from Earth’s protective atmosphere and magnetic fields that largely shield humans, including astronauts living on the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit, from space weather and radiation," Nasa said.
Missions on the ISS last up to six months per assignment and the station has been occupied continuously since it became operational in 2000.
But missions on the Gateway would last three months and robotic operations can take over when there is no human present, according to the Canadian Space Agency.
"As an artificial intelligence-based robotic system, Canadarm3 will be able to tend to the Gateway when no humans are on board, including operating science experiments aboard the lunar outpost," the agency said.
What would the Emirati astronaut do on the station?
Four crew members can live on the Gateway to carry out missions.
Two of them can descend to the Moon's surface, with the other two monitoring the station's health and their colleagues' activities.
There are several scientific investigations that the crew can do, in which the Emirati astronaut could be involved.
"The small space station will include docking ports for a variety of visiting spacecraft, space for crew to live and work, and additional science investigations to study human health and life sciences, among other areas," said Nasa.
"Gateway will be a critical platform for developing technology and capabilities to support future Moon and Mars exploration."
Which Emirati would be selected for the mission?
Salem Al Marri, director general of MBRSC, told The National in an interview on Sunday they were focusing on the operational aspect of the project before beginning the astronaut selection process.
"We have four astronauts and all of them will be trained," he said.
"But this is not something that we can decide at this stage and as we get closer, and we start getting into the operational elements, than we get into mission selection."
The UAE's astronaut corps comprises Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati in space, and Sultan Al Neyadi, the first Arab astronaut to go on an extended space mission and to perform a spacewalk.
Nora Al Matrooshi, the first Emirati woman to be selected as an astronaut, and Mohammed Al Mulla are set to graduate from a Nasa training programme in Houston, Texas, and will then become eligible for missions.
TOP%2010%20MOST%20POLLUTED%20CITIES
%3Cp%3E1.%20Bhiwadi%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Ghaziabad%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Hotan%2C%20China%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Delhi%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Jaunpur%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Faisalabad%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20Noida%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Bahawalpur%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Peshawar%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Bagpat%2C%20India%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20IQAir%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
The biog
Age: 23
Occupation: Founder of the Studio, formerly an analyst at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
Education: Bachelor of science in industrial engineering
Favourite hobby: playing the piano
Favourite quote: "There is a key to every door and a dawn to every dark night"
Family: Married and with a daughter
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
RECORD%20BREAKER
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20debutant%20for%20Barcelona%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2015%20years%20and%20290%20days%20v%20Real%20Betis%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20La%20Liga%20starter%20in%20the%2021st%20century%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%20years%20and%2038%20days%20v%20Cadiz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20player%20to%20register%20an%20assist%20in%20La%20Liga%20in%20the%2021st%20century%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%20years%20and%2045%20days%20v%20Villarreal%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20debutant%20for%20Spain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%20v%20Georgia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20goalscorer%20for%20Spain%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EYoungest%20player%20to%20score%20in%20a%20Euro%20qualifier%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2016%20years%20and%2057%20days%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The UAE's journey to space
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Political flags or banners
-
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, second leg
Liverpool (0) v Atletico Madrid (1)
Venue: Anfield
Kick-off: Thursday, March 12, midnight
Live: On beIN Sports HD
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.9-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E536hp%20(including%20138hp%20e-motor)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E750Nm%20(including%20400Nm%20e-motor)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C380%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar