In the UAE they plan to double the number of their astronauts

The UAE plans to double the number of its astronauts. Until May 1 of this year, applications from those wishing to become new astronauts were accepted in the country. In total, more than 4 thousand applications were received, 1400 of them were submitted by women, and the youngest applicant barely reached 11 years of age. The number of submitted applications exceeded by 7% the number of applicants who sent their CVs in 2018 when the first pair of cosmonauts Hazzaa Al-Mansouri and Sultan Al-Neyadi was selected.

The head of the astronaut search program said that not only the number of people wishing to become astronauts had increased, but also their quality. If the program itself and the opportunity to become an astronaut were more interested in the first wave of applicants, now more and more applications are coming from qualified applicants. The number of applicants with advanced degrees willing to reach the end has increased, and in the opinion of the selection committee, they are more serious.

A special commission will consider all applications, after they select 300 applicants who will undergo an online interview, they will also undergo medical and psychological tests that will reduce the number of future astronauts to 100. After that additional tests will be conducted that will reduce the number of applicants to 50 people. Testing and interviews will continue until the beginning of next year and in January 2021 the names of two new UAE cosmonauts will be announced.