Mariam Al Mansouri graduated from Abu Dhabi's Khalifa bin Zayed Air College in 2006 and is a veteran pilot of F-16 warplane. she was among the first pilots to lead the campaign against Daesh, pounding the terror group in Syria. Her exploits with a squadron of F-16 fighter jets were trending on social media before Deputy Chief Reporter Asma Ali Zain confirmed the raids on terrorist positions by the fighter pilot. Indeed, she was flying high as terror groups on the ground were being scattered in relentless attacks by the UAE Air Force during the early days of the campaign. She also picked up the Mohammed bin Rashid Excellence Award, taking home the Pride of the Emirates medal.

Hazza Al Mansouri the UAE’s first astronaut in space graduated from Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College. His career first started in the armed forces, and he became a military pilot then an F-16 pilot. He also participated as an air-show pilot in the 2017 National Day celebrations. In 2017, he registered for the UAE Astronaut Programme and was selected as one of two people from 4,022 others. After undergoing training in Russia.

On the 25th of September, 2019, he boarded the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft from Kazakhstan with two other astronauts and returned on October 3rd, 2019. Before boarding he was referred to as a “Spaceflight Participant” and after returning NASA changed the terminology to “Visiting Astronaut.” He landed safely with a UAE flag. The UAE’s first astronaut is a source of pride for the country and its people. It also gives people ambitions and hopes for the future and for their own personal dreams, that another person like them also went to space. Visible diversity is very important and it inspires people to follow their predecessors’ footsteps. This is the start of a new journey for the UAE: towards space. He is an inspiration for the students and faculty at Khalifa Bin Zayed Air College . To infinity and beyond!