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NASA’s HERA Campaign 7 Reveals New Emirati Crew Member
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre has chosen Shareef Al Romaithi to undertake simulated missions on Earth.
The United Arab Emirates has named a crew member for the upcoming phase of NASA’s Mars simulation mission. Shareef Al Romaithi will join the next phase of NASA’s HERA Campaign 7, spending 45 days at NASA’s Houston, Texas Space Centre with his fellow crew members.
Phase 2 of the second analog study of the UAE Analog Programme is set to begin on May 10. This phase will include an Emirati analog crew member and six experiments from Emirati universities. pic.twitter.com/gxx0F9wjxX
— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) April 15, 2024
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) revealed Al Romaithi’s selection on April 15, 2024. The project, starting on May 10, 2024, seeks to replicate Martian mission conditions to explore the impact of space travel on human physiology and psychology.
Al Romaithi, a seasoned pilot with over 16 years of aviation experience, will reside in a specialized facility in Houston known as HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog). The three-story habitat simulates the isolation and environmental conditions of space exploration in a program spanning multiple phases. The first phase concluded in March, with subsequent phases scheduled for August and November.
The UAE’s MBRSC highlighted Al Romaithi’s involvement in the mission via X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing his role in advancing space exploration. The selection marks a significant step in the UAE’s space endeavors, showcasing its commitment to international collaborations in space exploration.
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“We are pleased to announce the selection of Shareef Al Romaithi for the second analogue study of the UAE Analogue Programme at the Hera habitat, marking another significant step towards the UAE’s vision for space exploration,” said the director general of MBRSC, Salem Al Marri.
“This mission, blending scientific research and international collaboration with NASA, is poised to deepen our understanding of the physiological and psychological challenges of long-duration space travel through experiments here on Earth,” added Salem Al Marri. “The UAE is honored to be part of this journey, and we will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible and inspire future generations to be part of the space sector,” the director general concluded.
News
LUVED Is A New Curated Preloved Marketplace For The UAE
Sellers keep 100 percent of every sale and AI can build a listing in five seconds — though the app’s smartest tools are still coming.
Secondhand shopping has become mainstream in the UAE, but the experience is still scattered across resale sites, social media and informal group chats. LUVED, a mobile-first marketplace that launched in Dubai this month, is betting it can pull that activity into one place — and that the thing buyers and sellers actually want is not more inventory, but trust.
The app trades in what it calls circular luxury: preloved fashion and lifestyle pieces across men’s, women’s and children’s categories, bought, sold or given away peer to peer. Its main pitch is economics, with sellers keeping 100 percent of every sale under a zero-commission, fast payout model, while buyers are promised vetted pieces at lower prices.
Where LUVED is staking its reputation is verification. Sellers pass a KYC check, and items run through a two-layer authentication system powered by Entrupy that pairs instant AI screening with human expert review for high-value pieces. Authenticity certificates travel with each item, payments sit in escrow, and a buyer-protection package the company calls The Safety Net adds a 48-hour return window and dispute resolution. Door-to-door logistics removes the in-person meetups that make most resale deals awkward.
An in-app assistant called Luvbot — offering selling insights and demand-based recommendations — is soon to be introduced to the platform. Other features include autofill and dynamic pricing that lets users build a listing in as little as five seconds from three photos, plus a swipe-based feed, story-style drops and in-app chat in English and Arabic. Finally, a gifting layer, Luved & Gifted, lets users pass items to others inside the app rather than sell them.
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“After moving to Dubai, I saw how difficult it was to sell or even give things away,” says founder and CEO Shaima Sibtain. The friction is real, and so is the competition. In resale, trust is won transaction by transaction — and that is the test LUVED has set itself.
The app is live on the App Store now, with Google Play to follow. The company also plans to expand across the region, which will be the real test for a marketplace staking everything on trust.
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