UAE names first Female Astronaut

Noura al Matroushi has been named as the first Female Astronaut of UAE.

First Female Astronaut of UAE

Noura al-Matroushi was selected as the first female astronaut of UAE from four thousand other applicants. She is to be trained with NASA for future space exploration missions. Noura is to be accompanied by Mohammed al-Mulla. Both astronauts are to be trained with Johnson Space Centre of NASA located in Houston, Texas.

About Noura al-Matroushi

Noura was born in 1993. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the UAE University. She is currently working as an engineer at the National Petroleum Construction Company. She acted as the Vice President of the Youth Council of the company. Noura is also a member of American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Space plans of UAE

UAE does not have any manned mission in near future. However, the country has plans to send unmanned space mission to the moon in 2024. Also, UAE has launched “Amal Satellite” to the Mars in 2020.

First UAE astronaut to enter space

In 2019, Hazza al-Mansoori was the first UAE astronaut to enter the space. He spent eight days at the International Space Station.

First Muslim Woman to enter space

Noura is the first Arab woman to enter space. However, the first Muslim woman to enter space was Anousheh Raissyan. She was also the first Iranian woman to enter space. She is an Iranian American telecommunications entrepreneur. In 2006, she paid 20 million USD to travel to the International Space Station as a self-funded tourist.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2021