Nora Al Matrooshi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nora AlMatrooshi
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| نورا المطروشي | |
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AlMatrooshi in 2024
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| Born | 1993 (age 32–33) Emirate of Sharjah, UAE
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| Status | Active |
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| MBRSC astronaut | |
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Nora AlMatrooshi (Arabic: نورا المطروشي; born in 1993) is a pioneering astronaut from the United Arab Emirates. She is the first Emirati and Arab woman to become an astronaut. She was chosen as part of the second group for the UAE Astronaut Programme. In 2024, she completed her training with the NASA Astronaut Candidate Class. She received her special astronaut pin, making her a fully qualified astronaut ready for space missions.
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Nora AlMatrooshi: An Emirati Astronaut
Nora's Path: Education and Early Career
Nora AlMatrooshi studied mechanical engineering. She earned her bachelor's degree from the United Arab Emirates University. She also spent a semester studying in Finland at the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences. After college, Nora worked as an engineer. She helped design pipes for big oil and gas projects. These projects were for companies like Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). She also worked as a Technical Specialist at ADNOC. For three years, she was the vice president of the Youth Council at her company.
Nora is very talented in engineering and math. She was even part of the UAE team for the International Mathematical Olympiad in 2011. This is a big competition for young math whizzes. In 2013, she joined the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme. This program sent her to South Korea. Nora loves helping young people. She created many projects to support them. She also represented the UAE at the UN International Youth Conference in 2018 and 2019.
Dreams and Inspiration
Nora finds inspiration from important leaders and famous astronauts. She looks up to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She is also inspired by the first person on the Moon, Neil Armstrong. Nora lives by a simple motto: "Do what makes you happy." She dreams of making the UAE famous in space exploration. Her biggest wish is to land on the Moon in a spacecraft from her home country. When she's not working, Nora enjoys many hobbies. She loves reading, writing, drawing, and riding horses.
Joining the UAE Astronaut Programme
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) runs the UAE Astronaut Programme. This program is a big part of the UAE's National Space Programme. It helps the country grow in technology and connect with other nations. The program also supports new ideas and research in the technology field.
Nora was chosen from a huge group of people. Over 4,000 applicants wanted to join the program. She was one of only two astronauts selected in the second group. Important leaders in the UAE launched this program. These leaders included H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Rigorous Astronaut Training
Nora went through a lot of tough training. First, she trained at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre. This included swimming, scuba diving, and survival skills. She also worked to improve her physical fitness. After this, she joined NASA's astronaut training in 2021. This took place at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA.
Her NASA training covered five main areas. She learned how to do spacewalks in a special underwater lab. This lab helps astronauts practice moving in space. She also studied robotics and how the International Space Station (ISS) works. Nora learned to fly a T-38 jet plane. She even took lessons in the Russian language. This is important for working with international crews. Her training also included survival skills in Alabama. She studied Earth's geology, too. This helps astronauts understand rocks and landforms on other planets.
See also
- Timeline of space travel by nationality
- UAE Space Agency
