Hazza Al Mansouri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hazzaa Al Mansoori
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AlMansoori in 2022
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| Born | 13 December 1983 Al Wathba, United Arab Emirates
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| Other names | Hazzaa Ali Abdan Khalfan AlMansoori هَزَّاع عَلِي عَبْدان خَلْفَان ٱلْمَنْصُوْرِي |
| Alma mater | Khalifa bin Zayed Air College |
| Space career | |
| MBRSC astronaut | |
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Current occupation
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Fighter pilot, Astronaut |
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Time in space
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7 days, 21 hours,1 minute |
| Selection | MBRSC Group 1 (2018) |
| Missions | Soyuz MS-15/MS-12 (19th Visiting Expedition) |
Hazzaa Al Mansoori is an astronaut from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He made history as the first person from the UAE to travel into space! In 2019, he went on the UAE's first science mission to the International Space Station (ISS). This important mission was called 'Zayed's Ambition'.
Thanks to Hazzaa, the UAE became the 19th country worldwide to send an astronaut to the ISS. It was also the first country in the Arab region to do so. Hazzaa later became a backup astronaut for Sultan Al Neyadi's mission, which was the longest Arab space journey. Before becoming an astronaut, Hazzaa was the youngest F-16 fighter pilot in the UAE. On September 25, 2019, he launched into space aboard the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft. He spent eight days living and working on the International Space Station. He landed safely back on Earth in Kazakhstan on October 3, 2019, completing the UAE's first astronaut mission.
Contents
Hazzaa Al Mansoori's Life
Family Life
Hazzaa Al Mansoori got married in July 2007. He has four children named Mariam, Ali, Abdullah, and Mansour. When he went to space, he took a flag of the United Arab Emirates with him. He also carried a photo of his family.
Early Life and Education
Hazzaa Al Mansoori was born on December 13, 1983. His birthplace was Al Wathba, a suburb of Abu Dhabi. Later, his family moved to Al-Dhafra in western Abu Dhabi. As a child, Hazzaa loved to explore. He enjoyed watching stars and meteors in the dark desert nights of Liwa. He spent most of his childhood there. Hazzaa dreamed of becoming a pilot. He loved reading books about airplanes and space travel.
After finishing high school in Liwa, Hazzaa followed his passion for flying. He studied aviation at the Khalifa bin Zayed Air College. He graduated in 2004 and joined the armed forces. He quickly became one of the best military pilots. His skills helped him become a top candidate. He trained to be a Functional Check Flight (FCF) Pilot for the F-16B60 jet.
Military Career
Hazzaa traveled to Arizona, USA, to train on the F-16 aircraft. This training lasted for three years. After returning to the UAE, he completed more training. Four years later, Hazzaa became the youngest F-16 military pilot. He also qualified to test and evaluate aircraft. He was one of the first Arab and Emirati pilots to perform at the Dubai Air Show. This show celebrated 50 years of the UAE Air Force. He also performed at the UAE National Day in 2017. He did another show for the 50th anniversary of the UAE Air Force in 2018.
The UAE Astronaut Programme
On December 6, 2017, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister, made an announcement. He invited young Emiratis to join the UAE Astronaut Programme. This program was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Its goal is to train Emirati astronauts. It prepares them to go to space for different science missions.
Hazzaa Al Mansoori was one of the first astronauts chosen for this program. He was selected from 4,022 people who applied. He went through many mental and physical tests. These tests took place in the UAE and other countries. His military background helped him a lot with physical fitness. He had already done tough training to become an F-16B60 instructor pilot. He also trained as a SOLO Demonstration pilot in the F-16B60. He completed courses like water survival and a GYRO LAP Course up to 9G's. He also did a Spatial Disorientation course and the RED Flag Exercise in Las Vegas, USA.
Hazzaa's Astronaut Journey
On September 3, 2018, Sheikh Mohammed announced the first astronauts for the International Space Station. He named Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi. He said they represent all young Arabs. He also said they show the highest goals of the UAE.
Training for Space
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and the Russian space agency Roscosmos made an agreement. This agreement was to train Emirati astronauts. Hazzaa Al Mansoori trained at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia. This training prepared him for the ISS mission. He also trained in Houston, Texas, and Cologne, Germany. These trainings were part of partnerships with major space agencies. These agencies include NASA, ESA, and JAXA.
In April 2019, MBRSC announced Hazzaa as the main astronaut for an eight-day mission. This mission was to the International Space Station. Hazzaa was assigned to the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft. He joined Russian commander Oleg Skripochka and American flight engineer Jessica Meir. They would stay on the ISS for a longer time. Hazzaa would return to Earth eight days after launch. He would land on the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft. He would be with Russian commander Aleksey Ovchinin and American flight engineer Nick Hague.
Hazzaa, Skripochka, and Meir launched on September 25, 2019. They lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The trio spent less than six hours flying in space. Then, they docked with the Zvezda module on the ISS. After docking, the hatches opened. Hazzaa, Skripochka, and Meir went inside. They met their six crewmates already on the station.
Life and Experiments in Space
Hazzaa's training for the ISS mission was very thorough. He learned about all parts of the ISS. He learned how to use its tools and equipment. He practiced emergency fire drills. He also learned how to handle low pressure and ammonia leaks. He even had survival training for landing in a cold forest.
Hazzaa also trained with the spacesuit. It weighs up to 10 kilograms. He learned how to wear it in zero gravity. He practiced daily tasks like preparing food. He learned how to use cameras to record events. He took pictures of Earth and talked with ground stations. Hazzaa completed over 90 training courses. This added up to more than 1,400 hours of training.
During his short stay on the ISS, Hazzaa did many things. He performed 15 experiments created by UAE school students. These experiments were chosen from a "Science in Space" competition. He also did experiments observing Earth. He filmed the first ever tour of the ISS in Arabic. He became the first Middle Eastern person to be studied after spending time in microgravity.
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On October 3, 2019, Hazzaa Al Mansoori, Ovchinin, and Hague boarded the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft. They undocked from the ISS. They spent about five hours flying in space. Then, they returned to Earth. They landed on the Kazakh Steppe. After landing, Ovchinin and Al Mansoori flew to Star City, Russia. From there, Hazzaa began his journey back to the UAE.
In 2021, Hazzaa successfully finished his first year of training at NASA's Johnson Space Center. He is now ready to work as an operator on the International Space Station. He trained in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). He passed tests using the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). He also learned about maintaining the International Space Station. He completed training for Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR). He also had practical training sessions on the T-38 jet.
Space Terminology
Hazzaa's role on the Soyuz and ISS is called a "spaceflight participant". This term is used in documents from Roscosmos and NASA. After his mission, NASA updated the term. They now refer to Hazzaa as a "visiting astronaut". The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre calls his mission "UAE Astronaut Mission 1" or "Zayed's Ambition".
See also
- Timeline of space travel by nationality
- Sultan Al Neyadi
- UAE Space Agency
