Embry-Riddle graduate participated in NASA study about Mars travel
Like other graduates set to walk across the stage, Shareef Al Romaithi, from Abu Dhabi, is already in an established career. The Worldwide Campus offers a range of fully online degree programs, which is attractive to professionals.
Romaithi, 41, is a captain with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. But what first drew him to Embry-Riddle was his dream of becoming an astronaut.
"I followed the steps of the Apollo astronauts, and so I became an engineer," he said.
He graduated Saturday with his master's degree in space operations. He already has a doctorate in aviation and a bachelor's and two master's degrees in aerospace and aviation-related areas.
Embry-Riddle expected 465 students to graduate from the Worldwide Campus May 31: 257 undergraduates and 208 graduate students. The commencement ceremony was held at the ICI Center at the Daytona Beach campus.
In separate events in May, more than 1,700 students participated in graduation ceremonies for the university's residential campuses in Daytona Beach and Prescott, Arizona.
On Saturday, Al Romaithi's wife attended his graduation with him. They have three daughters.
While "life took a different path" that led him to commercial flight, he still wants to be an astronaut, he said.
His interest in the field prompted him to participate in a NASA study to simulate a journey to Mars, according to Etihad Airways. The study put him and a few others in a "habitat" about the size of a studio apartment for 45 days to study the effects of isolation, limited privacy and limited space on crew performance, he said. Getting to the red planet would actually take seven to 10 months, according to NASA.
"They view it (45 days) as the ideal time to collect the necessary amount of data for their own purposes," Al Romaithi said.
Despite the cramped quarters and lack of privacy, he described it as a smooth experience.
And, if the opportunity to go to Mars ever does come up, Al Romaithi said he's interested.
"I mean, if there's a return ticket, then why not?" he said.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Embry-Riddle graduate says he'd be open to Mars visit
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