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The United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is on steroids in order to jump into the big league, will become the first Arab country to send its national to a long-term space mission next year.</p>
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The UAE astronaut will join the International Space Station and stay they&rsquo;re for 180 days. The astronaut will reach the ISS by joining SpaceX Crew-6 in the Spring of 2023, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced on Friday.</p>
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MBRSC has begun preparing for a new astronaut mission to the International Space Station, which will be the first Arab long-duration space mission.<br />
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAEAstronautProgramme?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAEAstronautProgramme</a> <a href="https://t.co/dmJYSfaHkr">pic.twitter.com/dmJYSfaHkr</a></p>
&mdash; MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) <a href="https://twitter.com/MBRSpaceCentre/status/1520023191443447808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The mission will be the result of an agreement that MBRSC signed with Axiom Space at the UAE&#39;s embassy in Washington.</p>
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&ldquo;It is our great pleasure to sign the agreement with the United Arab Emirates&rsquo; Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, marking the first time a commercial space company has made such a mission possible,&rdquo; said Michael Suffredini, president and CEO of Axiom Space. &ldquo;Axiom Space is proud to provide MBRSC with a flight opportunity for a UAE astronaut, enabling its first long-term mission to the ISS.&rdquo;</p>
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Earlier, Emirati astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori had joined the ISS in 2019 onboard the Soyuz MS15 spacecraft to complete an eight-day mission. But this will be the first time that any Arab nation would be sending its national on a long duration space mission lasting six months. It will also be a maiden occasion when a US private space agency will transport a non-ISS partner on a space mission.</p>
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&quot;Our Emirati astronauts are highly equipped for this mission; having undergone a rigorous training programme that prepared them to conduct long-duration missions. Spacewalks and operating ISS systems were among many practices covered during their sessions,&quot; said H.E. Salem Humaid Al Marri, director-general of the MBRSC.</p>
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I think these are the best few moments of the <a href="https://twitter.com/Axiom_Space?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Axiom_Space</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AX1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AX1</a> mission. Remarkable view. <a href="https://t.co/8jMMXqqXwA">pic.twitter.com/8jMMXqqXwA</a></p>
&mdash; Space Shuttle Almanac (@ShuttleAlmanac) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShuttleAlmanac/status/1518799249571385344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Astronauts will conduct large-scale scientific experiments which will contribute to a greater understanding of space phenomena. We will collaborate with various countries to offer new data in support of future missions,&quot; he observed.</p>
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&quot;Signing the agreement to send the first Arab astronaut on a long-term mission of 180 days to the International Space Station is [a] new milestone for the UAE space sector. The UAE will be among 11 countries in the world that carried out long-term space missions,&quot; said His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.</p>
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&ldquo;Our space sector is constantly evolving. The new mission will add new experiences and knowledge to Emirati astronauts and the scientific community&rdquo;, he added. Sheikh Mohammed said that the UAE has long term plans for the space sector.</p>
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