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Watch: UAE astronauts Hazza and Sultan undergo survival training at NASA

Dubai - Video sheds light on how rigorous training equips astronauts to embrace challenges

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has recently tweeted a video showing the training of UAE’s veteran astronauts Hazza Al Mansouri and Sultan Al Neyadi on the T-38 jet.

The post retweeted by Dubai Media Office (DMO) on Wednesday, shows astronauts Hazza and Sultan currently undergoing different theoretical and practical training sessions at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, US.

The video shows them being engrossed in front of their work screens, in conversations with their instructor and a solemn Hazza donning the teams’ outfit ahead of their practical training onboard the T-38 jet.

MBRSC in its tweet mentioned, “The theoretical sessions cover: Control systems, radar, telecommunication and navigational systems and dealing with emergencies. The Practical sessions cover standard operating procedures, maneuvers and exposure to high G force and dealing with emergencies.”

Additionally, the tweet read, “Practical sessions cover planning the trajectory of the trip and communicating with traffic control towers.”

Shedding light on how this rigorous training equips astronauts to embrace all challenges, Hazza Al Mansouri, had earlier opined, “There are survival trainings at NASA to live in an isolated environment for a long time. There is NEEMO training in water for a couple of weeks, then the CAVES training. All these different types of training will increase not only our physical strength but also mental strength to be in space for a longer duration. The UAE is aiming for more skillful missions with longer durations.”

“Such mission-specific training teaches astronauts to improve their communication skills, problem-solving, teamwork and survival skills before they strap into a rocket and are blasted-off to the International Space Station (ISS),” he added.

nandini@khaleejtimes.com