Emirati pilot reaches halfway point inside NASA simulator

Captain Shareef Al Romaithi is halfway through his 45-day Mars simulation at NASA's Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.

Al Romaithi and his crewmates are living and working inside the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) simulator just as astronauts would on a mission to Mars, helping NASA to collect vital data on how isolation can affect crew performance.

They are conducting vital research on how crew members adapt to difficult conditions before they embark on deep space missions.

The Emirati space industry is also reaping the rewards of from the NASA research, Al Romaithi says they are carrying out 18 experiments inside HERA, six of which were designed at UAE universities.

His work in the simulator also forms part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre's UAE Analog Programme.

In April, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre announced Al Romaithi's selection for the second analog study of the UAE programme.

Hi from HERA! 👋

A few days ago, Shareef Al Romaithi, who is currently simulating a 45-day journey to Mars, gave us this update from inside the HERA habitat.

Shareef & crewmates are living & working like astronauts, helping @NASA study how isolation could affect crew… pic.twitter.com/mLKFr3xp0H

— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASAJohnson) June 15, 2024