Posted: Sun, Apr 18, 2021, 11:04 AM ET (1504 GMT)
The United Arab Emirates doubled the size of its astronaut corps with the selection Saturday of two new astronauts. The UAE announced it selected Nora AlMatrooshi and Mohammad AlMulla from a pool of 4,305 applicants. AlMatrooshi, an engineer, is the first female Emirati selected as an astronaut. AlMulla is a pilot and head of the training department of the Dubai Police's Air Wing Centre. The two will train with NASA's next astronaut class starting later this year. They join Hazzaa AlMansoori and Sultan AlNeyadi, selected as astronauts in 2018. AlMansoori flew to the International Space Station on a weeklong mission in 2019.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  AP article
•  Khaleej Times article
•  CNN article
•  The National (UAE) article