First UAE astronaut tells EGA employees about aluminium's use in space

Emirates Global Aluminium, UAE’s largest organisation excluding the gas and oil sector, arranged for a virtual knowledge-sharing session chaired by the first Emirati astronaut, Hazzaa AlMansoori, to discuss the uses of aluminium in space.

At this moment, astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori has been preparing for the next mission with his team in the United States and seemed very upbeat about sharing information with the employees of EGA. His stories are deeply related to his phenomenal 2019 space endeavour. He was eager to share his purview on how aluminium has redefined the space sector with infinite possibilities for innovation. Aluminium is a vital substance for the aerospace industry for its heat and corrosion-resistant properties.

EGA Youth Council member Amal Al Sayegh conducted the panel proceedings.

The Chief Executive Officer of EGA, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, quoted: “Hazzaa AlMansoori is a national hero and pioneer, and we are honoured that he took the time to meet with EGA’s people. This reflects the important role of aluminium in making spaceflight possible. We look forward to working even more closely with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre as the UAE takes its next bold strides into space.”

Hazzaa AlMansoori appeared to be extremely positive about aluminium’s hierarchy in the aerospace industry and urged the EGA employees to continue discovering superlative ways of using aluminium in the same sector. He also stated that with research and dedication, UAE could open new avenues for welcoming the space revolution.

Astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori aptly mentions: “Aluminium is the first material of choice when planning space travel, and it was a pleasure to share the experiences of my journey into space with EGA’s people. I hope my talk will go on to inspire EGA’s people to research new innovations of aluminium for space whilst also encouraging fellow Nationals to take part in future UAE Astronaut calls. Our country continues to look beyond the stars, and with determination and belief, this country can achieve anything.”

Since the first Russian launch of Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957, aluminium has been the staple material for the space industry owing to its lightweight properties, rigidity and corrosion resistance. The International Space Station, where the 2019 spaceflight was staged and in which AlMansoori participated, is itself made of aluminium.

For the duration AlMansoori stayed at the International Space Station, he was entitled to conduct 31 scientific experiments, out of which 16 were performed in collaboration with other international space institutions like NASA, the Russian Roscosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). As a section of the MBRSC’s Science in Space initiative, fifteen of these experiments kept UAE schools in the loop.

EGA, in partnership with Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, has led a thorough reconnoitre of each other’s facilities before working closely to conduct a series of webinar talks that can identify the role of aluminium in space and the technological prowess that EGA’s aluminium industry should have in order to compete with the global space sector.

For the upcoming era, UAE’s aluminium giant wishes to be a guiding system for the global aluminium industry, paving the way for the introduction of Industry 4.0. EGA is preserving true knowledge from any available source so that it can evolve to become a technology provider of choice and can flaunt an established manufacturing ecosystem in the region.

Emirates Global Aluminium developed its own aluminium smelting technology almost thirty years ago. It is the largest organisation in UAE other than gas or oil and boasts of having DX+ Ultra technology which is among the best operational protocols available in the aluminium industry internationally. The company has been using its patented technology since 1990 and has upgraded older production lines to run smoothly in the given conditions. EGA is the first organisation from UAE that has registered its flagship processing technology in a global prospect.