UAE astronaut Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi has officially set off to space, marking a historic moment for the Emirates.
Al Neyadi will carry out a six-month space mission from the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Crew-6.
This mission not only represents a major milestone for the UAE but also serves as a symbol of hope and inspiration for the entire region as the country seeks to diversify its economy and drive innovation in the field of space exploration.
Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council Hamdan bin Mohammed was also at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) watching the launch of the CREW-6 mission, the longest Arab space mission led by Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi.
‘I will speak to you with the flag of the UAE on my arm,’ says Al Neyadi
Ahead of his flight into space, Al Neyadi took to Twitter to bid his followers goodbye
“The next time I speak to you, I will be, God willing, on board the International Space Station.. I will speak to you with the flag of the UAE on my arm… and in my heart #طموح_زايد … I invite you to a close encounter in space. Your brother Sultan Al Neyadi.”
SpaceX Dragon takes off
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, atop a Falcon 9 rocket, carried the UAE astronaut and Mission Specialist Al Neyadi, along with two NASA astronauts, Mission Commander Stephen Bowen, and Pilot Warren Hoburg, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
The Dragon carrying the astronauts and the Falcon 9 were separated as planned, with the capsule travelling at around 7,500 kilometres per hour.
The Falcon 9 is descending back to Earth, and is expected to land on a floating SpaceX pontoon in the Atlantic, over the Florida coast.
UAE marks another milestone
Al Neyadi’s launch into space is one of the many significant strides the UAE has made for space exploration in recent years.
In July 2020, the Emirates launched its first interplanetary mission, the Mars Hope Probe. The goal of the mission was to study the Martian atmosphere and climate.
On February 9, 2022, the UAE marked a full year since the Hope Probe reached Mars. This milestone marked the Emirates as the world’s fifth country to do so, as well as the first in the Arab World.
The UAE has been investing heavily in its space sector in recent years.
In 2019, it established the UAE Space Agency, which is responsible for developing and implementing the country’s space policy and strategy.
The agency has also signed agreements with other countries and organisations to collaborate on space exploration projects.
The Emirates has also launched several satellites in recent years, including the KhalifaSat imaging satellite in 2018 and the DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2 Earth observation satellites in 2009 and 2013, respectively.
In 2021, the UAE then sent its first astronaut to the ISS in 2021. Hazzaa Al Mansoori, became the first Emirati astronaut to fly in space when he traveled to the ISS in 2019.
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