First Jordan Astronaut Trains in Russia

A Jordanian will be come the third Arab astronaut when he travels to Russia later this month for training.

Amman’s daily al-Dustour quoted Jordanian official Issa Mutalika as saying an agreement to train the first Jordanian astronaut in Russia was sealed during a recent visit by King Abdullah to Moscow.

Mutalika did not identify the candidate who will become the third Arab astronaut after Saudi Prince Bandar bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz and Mohammed Fares of Syria.

He said the Russian space institute decided to set up a space project worth $150 million in Jordan that will include a scientific and entertainment compound, a museum and a model of the Russian space station, Soyouz.

Mutalika said Jordan will also become a center for training astronauts in the region.