Hazzaa Ali Almansoori is the first astronaut of the United Arab Emirates. A former military pilot, he was selected for the UAE's new human spaceflight program in 2018, and he launched on his first mission to the International Space Station on Sept. 25, 2019. See photos of Almansoori's mission in this Space.com gallery.
Soyuz MS-15 crew members Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates and Jessica Meir of NASA wave from the base of their Soyuz rocket prior to boarding the vehicle at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on Sept. 25, 2019.
The Soyuz MS-15 crew launches to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on Sept. 25, 2019.
The Soyuz MS-15 crew launches to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on Sept. 25, 2019.
Hazzaa Ali Almansoori signs in for the first day of qualification exams at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, on Aug. 29, 2019. Behind him are his Expedition 61 crewmembers, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. The trio launched Sept. 25 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft for a mission on the International Space Station.
At a news conference that took place during final crew qualification exams, UAE astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori listens to a reporter's question. Almansoori launched with Expedition 61 crewmembers Jessica Meir of NASA and Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos, on Sept. 25, 2019.
Expedition 61 crewmembers Jessica Meir of NASA and Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates (right) talk with backup crewmember Sultan al-Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, on Sept. 10, 2019.
From left, the UAE astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir stand near an image of Vladimir Lenin at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, on Sept. 10, 2019.
On Sept. 5, 2019, the UAE astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori answers questions at a pre-flight press conference. Almansoori will spend 8 days at the orbiting laboratory before he returns to Earth on board Soyuz MS-12 with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov and NASA astronaut Nick Hague, on Oct. 3, 2019.
As part of a preflight new conference the United Arab Emirates' spaceflight participate, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori answers questions from reporters.
Posing for pictures on Sept. 5, 2019, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori (left) and his backup crewmember Sultan Al-Neyadi give a thumbs up during a preflight conference.
The Expedition 61 crewmembers and spaceflight participant Hazzaa Ali Almansoori present the Expedition 61 stickers aboard the plane that flies them to the Baikonur Cosmodrome.
As part of traditional pre-flight ceremonies at the Kremlin Wall, Hazzaa Ali Almansooir of the United Arab Emirates lays flowers where Russian space icons are buried.
With St. Basil's Cathedral as a backdrop, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori gives a thumbs up during traditional preflight ceremonies.
On Sept. 11, 2019, UAE astronat Hazzaa Ali Almansoori participated in a preflight vehicle fit check in the Soyuz spacecraft that launched him and his two Expedition 61 crewmembers to the International Space Station.
In preparation for the upcoming launch to the ISS, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the UAE participates in a pressure and leak check of his Russian Sokol launch and entry suit.
A smiling Hazzaa Ali Almansoori gives the cameras another thumbs up during a procedures check on Sept. 11 inside the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft.
At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the trio of space travelers sit in front of their Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft suited up for their journey to the International Space Station. From left to right: UAE astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir.
The Expedition 61 crewmembers and spaceflight participant pose with their Russian Sokol pressure suits on Sept. 11. These are the suits they wear inside the Soyuz spacecraft during launch and reentry.
Expedition 61 prime and backup crewmembers pose together outside their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on Sept. 12, 2019.
From left to right: prime crewmembers, Hazzaa Ali Almansoori of the United Arab Emirates and Expedition 61 crewmembers Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and Jessica Meir of NASA; and their backups, Sultan Al-Neyadi of the United Arab Emirates, Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos and Tom Marshburn of NASA.
NASA's Jessica Meir and UAE's Hazzaa Ali Almansoori pass the time with a game of chess on Sept. 18, 2019.
During prelaunch activities on Sept. 18, 2019, the trio poses for a photo with a Soyuz rocket in the background. That rocket launched them to the International Space Station on Sept. 25.
