In the UAE, they presented a short list of the first cosmonaut squad in the country, which included 95 people.
Space has become closer for 95 citizens of the UAE: the Space Center of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented a short list of the country's first cosmonauts.
Of the 4,022 applicants, 95 were selected: 75 of whom were men, 20 were women. The list includes citizens from all corners of the UAE aged 23 to 48 years: pilots, military, doctors, scientists and engineers.
In total, 64 candidates under the age of 35 and 31 candidates over 35 appeared on the short list.
Now the commission will have to reduce the list to only four names.
Hamad Al Mansouri, chairman of the Space Center of Mohammed bin Rashid, said that "he is delighted with the candidates."
"The selected applicants are the future of the UAE, they reflect the desire of the generation to form the glorious heritage of our country," the chairman of the commission emphasized.
It should be noted that initially the list included more than 200 candidates. Then all applicants passed psychometric tests, which took up to six hours. Specialists tested the IQ of the candidates, their emotional stability and ability to adapt to new conditions. After passing all the tests, the final list was formed.
The commission plans to select the final candidates and two reservists by the end of this year.
The finalists of the selection will undergo an intensive training program, in the framework of which they will even have to study the Russian language. The first astronauts should have a high level of knowledge in the field of robotics, navigation, medical care and resource management.
The formed team will present the first detachment of UAE cosmonauts and, possibly, in a few years the first cosmonaut from the Emirates will be sent to the International Space Station.
Last month, a new course of the UAE space program for students was presented, aimed at increasing the interest of young people in science and motivating them for new discoveries.
A four-year course at the American University of Sharjah will offer practical classes as well as internships at the UAE Space Agency and the Mohammed Ibn Rashid Space Center.
The course also aims to prepare the emirates for the Mission to Mars, scheduled for 2020.
