FUND HONEST INDEPENDENT MUSLIM JOURNALISM

Hijabi Muslim named UAE’s first female astronaut

The United Arab Emirates has announced the next two astronauts in its space program, including its first female astronaut.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the autocratically ruled country’s prime minister and vice president named the two astronauts. 

He identified Noura al-Matroushi as the UAE’s first female astronaut, with her male counterpart as Mohammed al-Mulla.

They had been selected among more than 4,000 applicants and will undergo training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Should al-Matroushi end up going on the mission, she could become the first Arab woman in space, the UAE government said.

Anousheh Raissyan, an Iranian-American entrepreneur from Dallas, became the first Muslim woman and first Iranian in space when she travelled to the International Space Station in 2006. She reportedly paid $20million to travel there as a tourist.

The first Muslim in space was Saudi Prince Sultan bin Salman, who joined the crew of the shuttle Discovery in 1985.

In 2019, Maj. Hazzaa al-Mansoori became the UAE’s first astronaut in space, spending an eight-day mission aboard the International Space Station.

The Emirates has had other recent successes in its space program. This February, the UAE put its Amal, or Hope, satellite in orbit around Mars, a first for the Arab world. In 2024, the country hopes to put an unmanned spacecraft on the moon.

The UAE also has set the ambitious goal of building a human colony on Mars by 2117.

FUND HONEST INDEPENDENT MUSLIM JOURNALISM

Donate today and help us tell the stories that matter. Together we can make a difference

Donate today and help us tell the stories that matter.
Together we can make a difference

The mainstream media has been justifying genocide in Gaza. Islamophobia and censorship are the norm. We're changing that. Our journalism has reached over 300M impressions on social media since October 7th. On TV, our rolling news coverage has featured key figures like Husam Zomlot, Avi Shlaim, Gideon Levy and Jeremy Corbyn.

We need your support to reveal the truth and ensure our voices are heard. Donate today.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

TOP STORIES

RELATED STORIES

CONTACT INFORMATION

Islam Channel Ltd
Media House
428-432 Ley Street
London
IG2 7BS
+(44) 207 374 4511