UAE's first female astronaut hopes to 'one day' plant country's flag on moon
"I hope to one day be the astronaut who will plant the UAE flag on the moon," said Noora AlMatrooshi, the first Emirati female astronaut, during her talk with students at the American Academy for Girls in Dubai on Friday.
When asked about working in a traditionally male-dominated field, AlMatrooshi emphasised that 'space exploration is no longer limited to men' and stressed the growing role of women in the industry.
The pioneering Emirati astronaut shared her aspirations to inspire young Emiratis to pursue careers as astronauts in the space corps.
Apart from reaching the moon, AlMatrooshi also aims to contribute to future missions to Mars. As part of her training, she studies geology to help astronauts identify rock samples that could provide key insights into the history of the red planet.
'Work hard, stay committed'
Speaking to Khaleej Times at the event, AlMatrooshi said: "The impact I want to leave on girls is to motivate them to engage with the UAE space programme and different initiatives offered by the country. I want them to know that our leaders and our country provide them with the opportunities they need.
'They must be prepared for these opportunities; work hard, stay committed, and serve their country in all fields,' she added.
AlMatrooshi also reflected on her journey when she and her colleague Mohammed AlMulla were selected in 2021 as part of the second batch of the UAE Astronaut Programme. "We began our training at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai, then moved to NASA's Johnson Space Centre, where we trained for two and a half years.
'We learned various skills, including spacewalk missions, training on the International Space Station (ISS) and [with] the robotic arm systems, physical fitness training, and leadership skills. We continue our training at the MBRSC and the Johnson Space Centre in US,' she added.
'At MBRSC, we are working on multiple projects, including the astronaut programme. There are also other programmes like our partnership with NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the European Space Agency (ESA).
'We are working together on future projects, such as sending astronauts to the moon. UAE is currently the fifth partner in the 'Lunar Gateway' program for the space station, which will orbit the moon. The UAE is responsible for developing the airlock module,' she continued.
AlMatrooshi also shared with the students that her journey to space began with a mechanical engineering background, long before the UAE had an astronaut programme. Encouraged by her family, she pursued her dream and was selected for the UAE astronaut corps, which also included Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati who went to space, and Sultan Al Neyadi, the first Arab who performed a spacewalk.
AlMatrooshi said she trained by piloting high-speed jets, mastering the systems of the International Space Station, and conducting spacewalk simulations at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in the US.
Bravery and independence
The American Academy for Girls honoured AlMatrooshi at the Woman of Distinction event. Three grade 11 students, namely Fatma AlShehhi, the cultural captain for Blue House; Mahra Masam, the head of Blue House, and Alia Saleh, the deputy head, explained that they Almatrooshi as their honourary house leader for her bravery and independence.
"It was truly empowering because, especially as girls, we usually get intimidated to go out there into a male-dominated world," said Alia.
They were inspired by AlMatrooshi's courage to be the first Emirati woman in her field, which made them feel more confident about stepping out of their comfort zones and challenging societal expectations, the students added.
The students shared diverse future ambitions: AlShehhi plans to be an eco-ambassador focusing on sustainability, Mahra aims to inspire Emirati women in education or healthcare, and Alia hopes to pursue engineering or advanced studies in physics.
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