For a long time, NASA, the American space agency, has been preparing for missions to Mars, the fourth planet in the solar system. As part of this, astronauts may one day walk on Mars. To prepare for such a mission, Emirati engineer Obaid AlSuwaidi is undergoing specialised training.
According to a report by the UAE-based Khaleej Times, Obaid AlSuwaidi, a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, will participate in a special 45-day training programme in the United States, which is set to begin on 1st November.
Obaid, serving as Engineer-Captain in the UAE Ministry of Defence, joins training with Kristen Magas, Tiffany Snyder, and Anderson Wilder.
They will take part in a 45-day simulation mission at NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), a 650-square-foot facility located at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Obaid’s expertise in civil and marine engineering helped him play a major part in establishing a high-performing security team during his time at the Ministry of Defence.
Obaid earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Western Sydney University, followed by a Master’s in Civil and Environmental Engineering from George Washington University in the US, and another Master’s in Project Management from Abu Dhabi University.
Obaid is part of the fourth volunteer group to take part in the HERA analog research. Three earlier phases of this research have already been completed, with the most recent concluding successfully on 23rd September. At HERA, researchers simulate harsh space-like environments to study how astronauts adapt to such conditions. The programme’s goal is to prepare astronauts for lengthy space missions.
As part of the training mission, the crew will participate in various research activities. They will use virtual reality technology to simulate ‘walking’ on Mars and will also receive training on growing vegetables and shrimp farming on Mars.
Together with Obayed, four crew members will participate in 18 ‘human health’ studies examining psychological, behavioural, and mental responses under regulated conditions.
The valuable data from these studies will contribute to improving human resilience and efficiency during space missions.