Rui Moura is from Portugal, a professor and researcher at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto (Assistant Professor) he graduated from the University of Aveiro in Geological Engineering and and later completed a PhD from the University of Aveiro in Geosciences (within the field of applied geophysics). Currently a researcher at the Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT-Porto) and also the vice-director of the Geophysical Institute of the University of Porto (IGUP-Serra do Pilar). One of his research interests at the moment is in the geophysical properties of Lunar Regolith having also conducted a microgravity experiment within that topic.

Rui Moura is also a licensed pilot, since 1993, currently holding night flying and aerobatic ratings and having piloted over 25 different aircraft types (from light aircraft to military jets). He also participated for three years in aerobatic competition as well as five years in forest fire surveillance actions. Rui Moura joined PoSSUM in 2016, graduating from PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut class 1601. Since then he has enthusiastically taken many of the other course qualifications within the PoSSUM programme. Recently he has made efforts in Portugal to promote human space flight using authentic artifact exhibitions and has also been invited to numerous public talks, media interviews and conference events.

He is fluent in Portuguese, English and speaks conversationally in Spanish, French as well as some Russian. In his spare time, besides flying, he enjoys reading, cycling, running and tennis. He is married and has one daughter.