Tag Archives: Human Spaceflight

Strong technical skills and outstanding physical abilities are just some of the qualities space agencies look at during the astronaut selection process. But is that all? Let’s agree that if it was only about physical performance, we would probably resort to robots and AI. Yet, space agencies spend millions on astronaut training programs, making sure they are sending the best candidates for the job. SpaceWatch.Globals Valerie Vlasenko asked ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer what are the most important skills that astronauts need to possess.

Indonesia is understood to be in talks with Russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos, about the possibility of Russia training and launching the Southeast Asian country’s first astronaut.

The head of the Egyptian Space Agency, Mohammed el-Qousy, announced on 25 December 2019 that the agency will launch a nationwide, six-year long competition to select Egypt's first astronaut.

The Saudi Arabian Space Commission is reportedly about to submit a National Space Strategy and other legal and policy documents that consolidate the commission's roles and missions to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, according to a senior Saudi Space Commission advisor speaking at a recent space event in Riyadh.

A new CIMON for the International Space Station (ISS): CIMON-2 (Crew Interactive MObile companioN) lifted off on its journey into space on 5 December 2019.

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has directed the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) to open registration for the second edition of the UAE Astronaut Programme. The move marks the start of a new phase of the UAE’s space exploration journey.

On India’s independence day, 15th August 2018, India’s prime minister Narendra Modi announced that by 2022, “some of our young boys and girls will unfurl the Tricolour in space”.

Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) President Yves Le Gall was at the 3rd Space Tech Expo Europe in Bremen, Germany, where he took part in the plenary of heads of space agencies and the panel session on ‘Space Trans-Atlantic’, both focused chiefly on space exploration, particularly lunar exploration.

The UAE Space Agency has announced its participation in Dubai Airshow 2019 as part of the efforts to enhance its international presence and showcase its current projects and future plans.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) launched the 22nd edition of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) Humans in Space Symposium (HIS) at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The UAE is the first country in the MENA region to host this conference, from 11 to 14 November 2019.