Al -Jazeera Net Correspondents
Oman- “I want to be an astronaut,” these words were not for the Jordanian girl, Salam Abu Al -Haija, merely a passing wish for a story of paper in her primary school stage, but rather the first spark of an exceptional dream grew with her year after year, until he became part of her identity, and a fundamental motive in her academic and professional career.
On this early stage of her childhood, Salam Abu Al -Haija, 26, told Al -Jazeera Net: “Since my childhood I had a passion for an astronaut, and this passion later led me to study mechanical engineering, and specialize in life -supporting systems in astronauts.”
The first space suit design
With the passage of time, peace continued the journey of searching for the self by its relentless pursuit of the space world, challenging many obstacles, and adhering to a passion that is not fading. After obtaining a mechanical engineering certificate with superiority, the dream began to approach little by little, until she became the first Jordanian space designer.
As a result of its advanced research in the space world, the recent chosen of Salam Abu al -Haija as the first Jordanian candidate to become an astronaut, to join an advanced space training program in cooperation with the “aliens of space industries” in the United States of America.
Abu Al -Haija is scheduled to start training during the coming period within a 3 -year program, in preparation for a tropical satellite task expected in 2029 on the Titans Genesis, which will start to a height of 300 km from the surface of the Earth, on a 5 -hour mission, of which 3 in the environment of lack of gravity.
Training includes multiple aspects, including mastery of space navigation techniques, tropical operations management, understanding of vehicle engineering systems, in addition to adapting to living conditions in space, as well as training that simulates daily life within the space capsule.
Abu Al -Haija’s story with space started by participating in many international competitions that concerned with spacecraft and spaces, to win a special suit in space pioneers. The design of the suit was a project that graduated from the university, where the engineer found a solution to the problem of cooling in space; Space pioneers use water for cooling, while the innovative Abu Haija suit used another device.
Abu Al -Haija notes that the allowances of the astronauts that she designed are also valid for use on Earth, and not only in space, explaining: “There were not many complications, but they protect to a certain degree”, noting that they designed 4 suits over two years in orange colors.
She adds that she was able to work on army suits, firefighters, divers, and war pilots. They need types of suits for difficult environments: hot, cold and dangerous, such as climbing and diving. And it confirms that it aims to provide suits that help a person adapt to dangerous and difficult environments, not only in space.
The space suit designed by Abu Al -Haija is characterized by its systems that support survival for astronauts, treated by designing many gaps and problems that astronauts have always faced during their missions or residence in space.
The story of the innovative space suit was the first step towards the journey of a thousand miles, and the approach to achieving the greatest dream, after which she was chosen as a content of an American company to represent the Arab world. A training scholarship was received as a real astronaut and then received another grant to be analog space pioneer.
Inspiring a generation of young people
In order to believe in the importance of empowering Jordanian youth, Salam established a non -profit company in the name of “Mina” aimed at teaching and training young people to become astronauts, innovators and emerging researchers in the field of satellite research, and also seeks to establish a center to simulate the Mars environment in Wadi Rum (southern Jordan), to attract researchers and tourists and provide specialized training programs for Jordanian youth.
Salam Abu Al -Haija confirms that what I achieved at the level of astronauts was the result of years of work, planning and perseverance, despite all societal and logistical challenges.
She added, “I believed that the opportunities did not come coincidentally, but rather by persistence, diligence, and boldness on the dream outside the traditional frame, and despite the difficult road, I always put my eyes in one goal to be part of the space industry in our region, and to pave the way for other young men and girls.
Abu Al -Haija seeks to inspire others, to change some of the existing ideas, indicating that Arab human talents are countless, but the most important thing remains the person’s belief in himself and his capabilities and completing the way until his dream is fulfilled, and not to stop when facing any difficulties, and she says: “I am currently seeking to consolidate the culture of space and advanced science in Jordan and the Arab region by establishing educational and training programs, establishing laboratories simulating space environments, motivating girls And young people to enter this vital sector. “