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Noura Al-Matroushi Is On Path To Become The First Arab Woman In Space

Noura Al-Matroushi was selected from over 4,000 candidates to be trained with the NASA Astronaut Group 23 of astronauts for future space exploration missions.

Published

5 years ago

April 12, 2021

Joanna Melki

noura al-matroushi is on path to become the first arab woman in space

Following the recent success of the Emirates Mars Mission, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai has just announced the name of the first Arab female astronaut, Noura Al-Matroushi.

Al-Matrooshi was selected from over 4,000 candidates to be trained with the NASA Astronaut Group 23 of astronauts for future space exploration missions. A mechanical engineer by training, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the United Arab Emirates University and also studied at the Vaasa University of Applied Sciences (VAMK) in Finland and Hanyang University in Seoul.

Since 2016, Al-Matrooshi works as a piping engineer at the UAE’s National Petroleum Construction Company. In addition to her previous work experience and education, she also stood out from the rest of the candidates thanks to her IQ and personality.

noura al-matroushi and niganned al-mulla uae astronauts

Emirates News Agency

Al-Matrooshi will be training together with her male counterpart, Mohammed Al-Mulla. Born in 1988, Al-Mulla is a pilot at the Air Wing Center, and he has more than 1,500 flight hours under his belt. He has been able to spend so much time in the air because he became the youngest pilot in Dubai Police at 19 years of age.

The two astronauts in training will be preparing for a long stay in space and everything that goes along with it, including spacewalks, spaceflight control, and missions in low orbit involving robotics.

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Currently, the United Arab Emirates has four astronauts (counting Noura Al-Matroushi and Mohammed Al-Mulla) serving under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), a Dubai government organization working on the UAE space program.

There’s a lot of responsibility on their shoulders because the gulf country would like to become a leading space exploration nation. If Noura Al-Matroushi and Mohammed Al-Mulla successfully complete their training, they can not only make this ambitious goal come true but also inspire a new generation of astronauts.

Related Topics:Dubai NASA Space United Arab Emirates

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For etisalat, More Bandwidth Is A Matter Of Digital Sovereignty

The etisalat group plans to expand its international capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, with new routes designed for speed and resilience.

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2026

Nour Nasir

for etisalat, more bandwidth is a matter of digital sovereignty

Emirates News Agency

By 2030, etisalat group plans to lift its international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps), more than 25 times the 20 Tbps it has today. The group presented the expansion as preparation for rising AI demand and an important move for the UAE’s digital sovereignty.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the launch of the project, which covers the UAE and international markets. Sheikh Mansour is also Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority, etisalat group’s main shareholder.

He emphasized the role of coordinated national efforts in advancing the UAE’s AI and digital economy ambitions. “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward,” he said, adding that developing the country’s digital capabilities would empower every institution, public and private, to build and innovate with AI “at the scale the coming decade will demand”.

“This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it,” said H.E Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group. “That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future”. He cast greater international connectivity as a strategic answer to the challenges of processing and moving data globally.

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Beyond raw bandwidth, the expansion will introduce new connectivity routes intended to improve reliability and efficiency, and Alzaabi tied them directly to the sovereignty goal. “Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

He also linked the plan to the group’s 50-year commitment to building infrastructure for the nation. The announcement didn’t mention what the expansion will cost. Nor did it name the new routes or say who will build them, the details that would show what digital sovereignty means in practice.