Are you a healthy, educated Egyptian over 35 years of age who speaks English and wants to learn Russian? If so, and you are willing to spend the next six years in a training program, the Egyptian Space Agency (EGSA) invites you to become one of the first Egyptians in space. 

By next year, an unspecified number of Egyptians will be selected to receive space training, after which one man or one woman will be chosen to duty aboard the International Space Station (ISS). 

Sending an Egyptian into space is part of Egypt’s 10-year National Space Program that was announced by Mohamed Elkoosy, CEO of the newly founded EGSA, on March 6. The program, which is divided into three stages, targets the development of space missions and upgrading of the Egyptian industry facilities. “We also plan to have good international relations and a solid base for standardization,” Elkoosy told local media.

In December, the agency announced that both men and women are eligible to apply for the program and that applicants would be taking psychological, physical and mental tests during the first stage. During the three-year second stage, contestants will be trained to go into space, while in the third and final stage, they would be trained to adapt to living in space at the ISS.