UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi's longest Arab space mission crosses half-way mark
A look at all that the Sultan of Space has acheived over the past three months UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has completed half of his six-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS). The journey marks the longest-serving Arab astronaut and represents a historic milestone for the UAE, as Al Neyad has navigated through a series of firsts, setting a list of unprecedented achievements. The conclusion of the mission task on April 28 marks the first Arab to undertake a spacewalk during Expedition 69, currently underway on the ISS, and the crew successfully docked the spacecraft with the station’s forward Harmony port. The event also featured three ham radio sessions, giving attendees a glimpse in to Aleyadi's life and the opportunity to interact with him. The Dragon cargo spacecraft splashed down the coast of Tampa Florida in Florida earlier this month.
Yayınlanan : 2 yıl önce ile Faisal Masudi, Assistant Editor içinde Science
Dubai: Charting a new course for Arab space exploration, UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi stands as the longest-serving Arab astronaut, having spent over three months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This journey signifies a historic milestone for the UAE, as Al Neyadi has navigated through a series of firsts, setting a list of unprecedented achievements.
Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director General, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), said: “Congratulations to Sultan Al Neyadi as he completes half of his six-month mission on the ISS. The dedication, resilience and strength Sultan has demonstrated in consistently achieving one milestone after another truly reflect the calibre of astronauts we cultivate here in the UAE.”
Al Marri added: “[Al Neyadi] represents the core values of the MBRSC by consistently focusing on knowledge-building initiatives for the next generation and appreciate his commitment towards the community and student outreach. As we look forward to the next three months, we are confident his journey will continue to make us proud and inspire future explorations.”
Adnan Al Rais, Mission Manager, UAE Astronaut Programme, said: “Congratulating Sultan AlNeyadi for completing an impactful three months aboard the ISS. Sultan’s dedication to science has seen him make remarkable strides during this period. With another three months ahead, we are eagerly waiting for more groundbreaking research projects. UAE Space Sector, keep moving forward. Paving the way for the future of UAE’s space sector, this mission serves as a powerful catalyst, fueling our drive towards unprecedented advancements in space exploration.”
With the conclusion of the mission task on April 28, the UAE commemorates Al Neyadi as the first Arab to undertake a spacewalk during Expedition 69, currently underway on the ISS. The historic first Arab spacewalk lasted around seven hours in the vacuum of space on the starboard side of the ISS truss structure, accomplishing two key objectives. One of the objectives of the Extravehicular Activity (EVA), undertaken by Al Neyadi along with NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen, was to work on a series of preparatory tasks which involved routing power cables, which was successfully concluded as a precursor to the installation of the Space Station’s fourth roll-out solar array, known as the International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA). The next objective was to retrieve a crucial Radio Frequency Group (RFG) unit.
Close to 5,000 people have taken part in the past four editions of the event, giving attendees a glimpse in to Al Neyadi’s life on the ISS and the opportunity to interact with him. The first event in the series was held at the Dubai Opera, followed by the second for media at the Museum of the Future. The third edition was held in Mauritius, while the fourth session was held at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain.
Under the same ‘A Call from Space’ event, three ham radio sessions have been successfully completed in collaboration with the Emirates Amateur Radio Society (EARS) and Emirates Literature Foundation (ELF). Around 100 students from various schools around the UAE participated in these events, which aim to bring space closer to the community.
This was the third port relocation of a Dragon crew spacecraft, following previous relocations during the Crew-1 and Crew-2 missions. After undergoing a series of manoeuvres over the course of 38 minutes, the crew successfully docked the spacecraft with the station’s forward Harmony port.
2. The Emirati has been an integral part of the spacewalk team including Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg. Along with other crew members, he has been working on Canadarm2 robotic arm manoeuvres through computer simulations which is a critical component of the forthcoming solar array installation work.
10. Sending around 1,950kg of valuable scientific experiments and other cargo back to Earth on a Dragon cargo spacecraft, as part of the 27th contracted cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The spacecraft splashed down off the coast of Tampa, Florida in the US earlier this month.
Konular: Space, UAE