Kuwaiti astronaut Moulah recounts his ‘dream-come-true’ experience
By Faten Omar
KUWAIT: As a step towards being the first Kuwaiti astronaut, the multitalented architect Bader Al-Moulah became the first Kuwaiti to train at Aquarius, the only undersea laboratory in the world that NASA uses to train astronauts to simulate life on the International Space Station. At Aquarius Reef Base, where Moulah finished his training, he raised the Kuwaiti flag into the habitat 14 meters below the surface. This was a crucial turning point in both his ascent to be an astronaut and Kuwait’s development in the fields of aeronautical and aerospace research.
“When I was young, I wanted to become an astronaut, but I kept it secret because people don’t take it seriously. I hid this dream, but I was preparing for the moment. I studied engineering to have the needed skills to be an astronaut and I was following up with space news while educating myself on the history of space,” he told Kuwait Times.
Moulah participated and reached the finals in “The Astronauts” show on Dubai TV, which is considered the first-of-its kind program for potential Arab astronauts, where participants undergo 30 tests and missions that are based on psychological, mental and physical challenges observed by jury member Chris Hadfield, a retired Canadian astronaut and the first Canadian to perform an extravehicular activity in outer space.
“The show allowed me to experience my dream. Seeing the Canadian astronaut Hadfield was a dream come true. Although I was eliminated for my age, I was honored to get a recommendation from him,” he pointed out. To keep preparing for his dream, Moulah recently went to the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) habitat for simulation of life on the moon, located in an isolated position on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano on the island of Hawaii.
“I lived there for two weeks. We had no communication in order to live the experience that you are on the moon, wearing the full suit and exploring the lava caves of the volcano. I was prepared with the needed medical skills to perform three different surgeries. It was challenging, worrying about every move. It was hard mentally and physically,” he said.
Being an astronaut was not the only dream for Moulah – he also accomplished being an Imagineer for Walt Disney, where he won a competition to design part of a place in Disney’s animal kingdom. “One of the other dreams was to be an Imagineer for Disney, which I accomplished. Disney inspired me with its movies growing up. As time passed, I graduated from university and started to work for Disney. It was my dream job. I accomplished this dream, so I told myself with luck and work, I can achieve my other space dream as well,” he told Kuwait Times.
In late 2019, Moulah started to think about what is needed to have a space center in Kuwait, after his master’s thesis was about rehabilitating Shuaiba refinery into a space center. “When I got back to Kuwait, I submitted my idea to the government. They liked it, but it did not pass. So I founded ‘Ignition’, Kuwait’s first space and exploration company, with my friends,” he said.
“Ignition is the first company to approve scientific research in Kuwait in the space field. We are now organizing educational courses and awareness lectures related to space and building towards a major project to have a Mars analog habitat on Failaka Island. Hopefully, we can get the funding and support from the government,” he added.
Moulah indicated that his future project will fund itself later. “For example, we want to do research on Kuwait’s environment and how it relates to the habitat, which could benefit people who want to go to Mars. They might send their astronauts to our habitat in Kuwait for their research. So we hope to get the support of the Kuwaiti government. Our dreams are simple to achieve. We want to raise the flag of Kuwait. I see Kuwait is full of potential.”
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