Hazza Al Mansoori, the first Emirati astronaut has received the “Distinguished Public Service Medal” from Nasa for his services during the space mission.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) took to Twitter to congratulate Hazza.

MBRSC said, “Congratulations to @astro_hazzaa on receiving the prestigious “Distinguished Public Service Medal” from NASA. The medal is awarded to individual’s whose achievements demonstrate a level of excellence that made a profound or indelible impact on NASA mission success.”

Hazza said he was pleased with the historic achievement made for the UAE and the Arabic world after reaching the International Space Station.

Hazza said: “”When I saw His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the image of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his dream older than 40 years dream coming true.”

He said he was proud to represent the UAE and the Arab world in the mission and being part of the achievements.

“It is a beginning for the flame of hope for the Arab world in space domains.” He also expressed pride in wearing national dress and speaking Arabic in space.

Meanwhile on Thursday, Jessica Meir, Nasa Astronaut and Comparative physiologist, took to her Twitter shared some positive words regarding Hazza from ISS.

Meir said, “The very first astronaut from the United Arab Emirates launched to space this year – in the same rocket as me! Thinking about my new colleagues and friends (@astro_hazzaa & @Astro_Alneyadi ) made my view even more spectacular. Goodnight Abu Dhabi! #TheJourney #GoodnightFromSpace.”

Hazza responded to the Tweet, “What a fantastic view you have, my friend @Astro_Jessica, I was honoured to work with you inboard the @Space_Station...

Good night from the Earth.”

The Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, MBRSC, to open registration for the second edition of the UAE Astronaut Programme. The move marks the start of a new phase of the UAE’s space exploration journey.

Sheikh Mohammed said the UAE’s ambitious space programme continues to make progress in realising Zayed’s ambition of making the country a leader in the space sector. The success of the eight-day mission of Hazza Al Mansoori, the first Emirati astronaut, to the International Space Station, ISS, which was made possible through the efforts of the MBRSC team, represents another step forward in the country’s space ambitions.

During a call with Hazza Al Mansoori during his mission to ISS in September, Sheikh Mohammed told him: “You’re a source of pride for all Emiratis. You’re the first (Emirati to travel to space) and the first is always remembered. However, I can proudly assure you that a generation of young Emiratis will follow in your footsteps and become space scientists and technology pioneers.”

Following Sheikh Mohammed’s directives, MBRSC said the second edition of the programme will commence immediately. The programme is designed to prepare and train Emiratis to travel to space for various scientific missions. The programme will benefit from the experiences of the first two UAE astronauts Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi.

On 7th December 2017, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid launched the UAE’s first Astronaut programme dedicated to selecting and training Emirati astronauts for various space missions.

Hazza Al Mansoori and Sultan Al Neyadi were the first astronauts selected out of the programme. Al Mansoori’s eight-day mission to the International Space Station, which took place from 25th September to 3rd October, saw 30 scientific experiments being conducted.

MBRSC invites Emiratis to register for the second edition of the UAE Astronaut Programme online on mbrsc.ae/astronauts. The deadline for registration is 19th January 2020. Applicants will go through several tests including physical, mental and psychological tests, before the final set of participants are selected. Applicants should be UAE Nationals above 18 years old, have proficiency in Arabic and English, and be university graduates. People of all professions are invited to register.