Hazza Al Mansouri
Who was Hazza Al Mansouri?
First Emirati astronaut who spent eight days aboard the International Space Station in September 2019 as part of a Russian Soyuz mission.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Hazza Al Mansouri (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Hazza Al Mansouri, born in 1983 in Al Wathba, United Arab Emirates, is an Emirati military pilot and astronaut. He became the first person from the UAE to travel to space. He trained as a fighter pilot at the Khalifa bin Zayed Air College and became the UAE's youngest F-16 fighter pilot. Before being selected for spaceflight training, he stood out in the country's military aviation program. His selection as the UAE's first astronaut marked a big step in the country's goal to take part in international space exploration.
Al Mansouri was chosen through the UAE Astronaut Programme, started by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. After being chosen, he went through tough cosmonaut training in Russia with his backup, Sultan Al Neyadi. The mission was named 'Zayed's Ambition', in honor of the UAE's late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and highlighted the nation's hopes in science and technology.
On 25 September 2019, Al Mansouri launched aboard the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. He connected with the International Space Station and spent eight days doing scientific experiments and outreach activities as part of Expedition 61. His journey made the UAE the 19th country in the world, and the first in the Arab region, to send an astronaut to the ISS. He returned to Earth on 3 October 2019 aboard the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft, landing safely in the steppes of Kazakhstan.
After his groundbreaking mission, Al Mansouri served as the backup astronaut for Sultan Al Neyadi during the UAE's second mission to the ISS in 2023, which became the longest Arab space mission ever. His ongoing role in the UAE's space program showed his dedication to advancing his country's scientific goals. He has also worked to inspire younger generations across the Arab world to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Al Mansouri's full name is Hazzaa Ali Abdan Khalfan Al Mansouri, and his surname is sometimes spelled as Al Mansoori in various official translations. He remains a leading figure in Emirati public life and a symbol of the UAE's fast growth in aerospace and scientific research.
Before Fame
Hazza Al Mansouri grew up in Al Wathba, an area in the Abu Dhabi emirate of the United Arab Emirates. He followed his love for aviation through military education at the Khalifa bin Zayed Air College, which trains officers for the UAE Air Force. His skills and talent led him to become a qualified F-16 fighter pilot, and he became the youngest pilot in the UAE to fly that aircraft. His background in military aviation gave him the technical skill and physical fitness necessary for his later selection as an astronaut.
In the early 2000s, the UAE was investing significantly in education, infrastructure, and technology to diversify its economy beyond oil. It was in this ambitious environment that the UAE Astronaut Programme was launched, looking for candidates with strong technical skills and the ability to represent the country worldwide. Al Mansouri's elite military aviation experience, fitness, and national reputation made him an excellent candidate, and he was chosen as the UAE's first trained astronaut.
Key Achievements
- First person from the United Arab Emirates to travel to space
- First Arab astronaut to visit the International Space Station
- Completed eight days aboard the ISS as part of Expedition 61 in September–October 2019
- Previously served as the UAE's youngest qualified F-16 fighter pilot
- Served as backup astronaut for the UAE's second and longest ISS mission in 2023
Did You Know?
- 01.Al Mansouri launched to the ISS aboard Soyuz MS-15 but returned to Earth on a different spacecraft, Soyuz MS-12, as is standard practice for short-duration visiting crew members.
- 02.He was the UAE's youngest F-16 fighter pilot before transitioning to the astronaut program.
- 03.His 2019 mission to the ISS carried the official slogan 'Zayed's Ambition', named in honor of UAE founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
- 04.The UAE became the 19th country in the world and the first in the Arab region to have an astronaut aboard the International Space Station, a milestone achieved through Al Mansouri's mission.
- 05.Al Mansouri later served as backup astronaut for Sultan Al Neyadi's 2023 mission, which at six months became the longest space mission ever undertaken by an Arab astronaut.
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