ALBAWABA - Nora Al Matrooshi, a 30-year-old Emirati astronaut, has finally fulfilled her childhood dream of flying to the Moon by becoming the first Arab woman to graduate from NASA's training program.
Like many, Nora's fascination with space began in elementary school, during a lesson about the lunar surface. From that day on, she knew she wanted to explore the stars for real.
Nora Al Matrooshi (R) waves during the graduation ceremony for NASA Artemis astronaut candidates at Johnson Space Center. (Photo by Mark Felix / AFP)
As a mechanical engineer with experience in the oil industry, Nora was selected by the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) to train with NASA in 2021.
After two whole years of hard training, including practice spacewalks, Nora and her colleague Mohammad Al Mulla, alongside 10 others, are now fully qualified astronauts known as "The Flies", making them NASA Astronaut Group 23.
Nora's ultimate goal is to push humanity beyond its current limits, starting with missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA engineers have even developed a special strategy to allow Nora to continue to wear her hijab while donning the very iconic white space suit and helmet, ensuring her religious beliefs as a Muslim are respected during space missions.
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With her personalized space suit, Nora is ready to take the next step into space exploration alongside her fellow astronauts. She is proud to build on the legacy of Muslim scholars and scientists who studied the stars before her, emphasizing that her faith has only strengthened her determination to reach new heights in space exploration.
