581 hours in space: Veteran Nasa astronaut to mentor kids at Dubai event

When Nasa astronaut Charles Donald “Sam” Gemar gazed back at Earth from orbit, the feeling that washed over him was one of sheer humility. “One of the emotions that took me by complete surprise was this overwhelming feeling of insignificance,” he told Khaleej Times during an interview. “No matter how accomplished you feel your life is here on Earth, when placed in the background of space, I just had this overwhelming feeling of insignificance.”

This January, the veteran astronaut — who has flown on three Space Shuttle missions, circled the planet 385 times and logged more than 581 hours in space—will bring that perspective down to Earth at Expo City Dubai. As part of Earth 2.0, a two-day immersive STEM experience, Gemar will mentor children aged 8 to 12 in a journey of exploration and creativity, helping them imagine what it would take to build a new life on another planet.

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The event, taking place from January 17-18, 2026, at the Connect Conference Centre (C3), promises an unmissable opportunity for young minds to learn directly from a NASA astronaut through workshops on rockets, robotics, satellite communication, and AI-driven planetary design.

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Gemar, a former US Army Lieutenant Colonel who flew on three Space Shuttle missions, said the workshop aims to “dream, innovate, and explore science using space as the vehicle for learning.”

“We will introduce students to all aspects of program management in both constrained and unconstrained design projects. In the latter, students are only limited by their imaginations.”

He believes imagination is the key to innovation—the spark that drives every great leap in history.

“Before the greatest innovations in history took form, they formed in someone's imagination. We want students to imagine. This workshop is one of the few places where students will be encouraged to design, build, test and repeat, as necessary. Some of those designs will fail. That's OK!”

Importance of teamwork

Gemar, who also served as Capsule Communicator in Nasa’s Mission Control for 13 Shuttle missions, said teamwork is at the heart of space success—a lesson he plans to pass on to his young audience.

“One of the great lessons of Nasa is their ability to achieve great success through this framework of highly motivated, competent teams. Students will see first-hand the benefit of working together as a cohesive team through several academic and hands-on projects.”

Reflecting on his journey from the US Army to space, Gemar credits his military experience for instilling discipline and perseverance.

“The most basic skill is leadership. The ability to work together collaborating on a common goal is of great value in all aspects of life. The Army teaches perseverance and allows you to explore and push your own limits of performance.”

'Train as you fight'

The 70-year-old added that both the Army and Nasa share a philosophy of rigorous preparation.

“We have a motto—‘Train as you fight.’ Your training should be rigorous, challenging, and, to the extent possible, simulate the conditions you will surely encounter. Nasa follows the same concept as it trains astronauts for space flight. There literally are no surprises in spaceflight.”

For the astronaut, inspiring the next generation is about helping them take that crucial first step.

“The first step doesn’t get you where you’re going, but it gets you out of where you are. Space and future careers must be broken down into manageable pieces. I try to convince students to take that first step and see where it leads.”

Having interacted with young learners across the globe, Gemar emphasised that their curiosity keeps him hopeful.

“They are filled with hope and promise. That inspires me.”

And his message to aspiring explorers is simple yet powerful:

“Go for it! As my Canadian friends would say, ‘Give’r!’ It’s not enough to have a dream—you must be dedicated to the cause and have a plan of execution. A dream without a plan makes you a dreamer and the world has plenty of those.”

Encouraging young people to have a dream and preparing for the opportunity to compete, Gemar added, “It does not mean that the opportunity will present itself, but should that door of opportunity open, you want to be prepared to walk through with all the education, training, and background necessary to take that step.”

Nandini Sircar

nandini@khaleejtimes.com

Nandini Sircar has a penchant for education, space, and women's narratives. She views the world through a prism of learning: whether it's the earthly pursuit of wisdom or the unearthly mysteries of space. In her written universe, women and children take centre stage.