Omar Samra from Egypt is the Only Arab among the Next Generation of Space Explorers

[Dubai, United Arab Emirates] (December 15, 2013) –After receiving one million submissions from hopefuls across the globe, 107 brave guys and girls were selected from 60 countries to gather in Cape Canaveral, Florida for the final stage of the Axe Apollo Space Academy®  to prove they have what it takes to be an astronaut. Under the stewardship of A.A.S.A. head and astronaut legend Buzz Aldrin, 23 extraordinary recruits, including one guy from Egypt, have been selected to complete the final crew that will journey into suborbital space.

While at the AXE Apollo Space Academy®, Omar Samra from Egypt challenged his mental and physical limits during a series of missions that gave all recruits a taste of the thrills and trials faced by real astronauts. Among the series of training missions, Omar mastered piloting an Air Combat USA® aircraft and braced himself for the strength of blast off in a G-Force Simulator at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
 
Omar is an adventurer, mountaineer, entrepreneur and Inspirational speaker. He is the first Egyptian to climb Mount Everest and to complete the 7 Summits challenge on May 31st 2013, climbing the highest mountain on all 7 continents. “I am delighted to have won the opportunity to achieve a childhood dream, especially amidst such difficult competition of one million applicants from 68 nations. I hope this journey will inspire others to stretch their own personal boundaries to make their dreams come true”, commented Omar Samra.
Omar Samra is among an international team of A.A.S.A space travelers.  The A.A.S.A. team includes men and women representing countries around the globe, some of whom will make history as the first from their nations to go to space. Some of these history-making winners include the first Filipino, Thai and New Zealander to go to space.  In total, the A.A.S.A. international team represents Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Slovakia, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, India, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa and China.

“No other brand has ever created this kind of experience for every day, real guys and girls the way that AXE has with the Apollo campaign,” said Tomas Marcenaro, Global Vice President for AXE. “The AXE Apollo Space Academy® was more than just a promotion.  A.A.S.A. started with exciting a global community about space and concluded with guys and girls coming together, from near and far, for an unforgettable week to forge connections of a lifetime.”

At the culmination of the A.A.S.A., the dream of space travel has become a reality. Led by Judging Committee Chairman, Buzz Aldrin, the following panel of space experts selected the valiant finalists alongside AXE:
• Michiel Mol, Chief Executive Officer of Space Expedition Corporation
• Marlous Mens, Director of Commercial Space of Space Expedition Corporation
• Andrew Nelson, Chief Operating Officer of XCOR Aerospace
• Harry van Hulten, Space Expedition Corporation Test Pilot

“I'm thrilled to join AXE Apollo in offering the next generation of space explorers the chance to experience the wonders of space as I did,” Buzz Aldrin stated in reference to the A.A.S.A. selection announcements.

Omar Samra's remarkable journey will conclude with his flight to space onboard a Space Expedition Corporation (Space SXC) shuttle: XCOR's LYNX Mark II. To learn more about the AXE Apollo Space Academy®, visit https://www.facebook.com/AxeMiddleEast

ABOUT UNILEVERUnilever is one of the world's leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries. Our products are present in 7 out of 10 homes globally and are used by over 2 billion people on a daily basis. We work with 171,000 colleagues around the world, and we are on track to generate annual sales of €50 billion in 2012. Over half of our company's footprint is in the faster growing developing and emerging markets (56% in 2011). Working to create a better future every day, we help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Our portfolio includes some of the world's best known brands such as Knorr, Persil / Omo, Dove, Sunsilk, Hellmann's, Lipton, Rexona / Sure, Wall's, Lux, Rama, Ponds and Axe.

Our ambition is to double the size of our business, whilst reducing our overall environmental footprint (including sourcing, consumer use and disposal) and increasing our positive social impact. We are committed to helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, sourcing all our agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, and decoupling our growth from our environmental impact. Supporting our three big goals are more than 50 time-based targets. See more on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/.
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Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) Space Expedition Corporation (SXC) will offer daily commercial flights into space as of 2014 on the XCOR Aerospace's Lynx suborbital reusable launch vehicle. Participants will have a life-changing experience when viewing our planet Earth from 100+ kilometers and achieving astronaut status.  The Lynx is a two seat fully reusable space plane that is designed and built by XCOR Aerospace (XCOR). SXC is the launch customer of this space vehicle that comfortably takes off and lands as a normal airplane from regular airports. The Curacao airport in the Caribbean will most probably be the first location – and first purely commercial Spaceport – outside the USA. The flexibility of the Lynx spacecraft makes it possible to operate from almost any commercial airport. XCOR and SXC have sold over 200 flights to date. The Lynx's full reusability ushers in a new era for the aerospace industry, potentially foreshadowing future superfast long range environmentally friendly travel outside our atmosphere. It is this vision that made KLM airlines decide to offer a partnership to SXC in 2010. The company is led by CEO Michiel Mol who has a strong international track record in IT (founder LBi), Formula 1 (founder Sahara Force India Formula 1), and Marketing (founder Guerilla Games) among other pursuits. www.spacexc.com