UAE's Sultan Al Neyadi, Crew-6 mates float into ISS

Dubai Media Office

Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has floated into the International Space Station (ISS), embarking on the longest space mission in Arab history.

In his first address from the International Space Station, Al Neyadi said "the UAE has taken great steps towards pushing the boundaries of space exploration... to seek new endeavours into space."

He also expressed gratitude to the UAE leadership, his family and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre for the incredible opportunity he has been given, before concluding: "Go Dragon, go Spacex".

Al Neyadi and Crew-6 mates were welcomed aboard the space station by seven current ISS occupants - three NASA crew members, including commander Nicole Aunapu Mann, the first Native American woman to fly to space, along with three Russians and a Japanese astronaut.

The team had docked at the ISS after travelling nearly 25 hours onboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

Initially, NASA and SpaceX had to delay the docking process following an issue with the spacecraft hooks.

The team blasted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida on Thursday, a few days later than originally planned due to a delay in "grounds issue". 

Earlier, in a series of updates, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) tracked the journey of Crew-6, highlighting the "incredible moment" when Al Neyadi was "flying above the UAE".

The crew's six-month science mission will encompass about 200 experiments and technology demonstrations, ranging from research on human cell growth in space to controlling combustible materials in microgravity.

The ISS, about the length of a football field, has been continuously operated for more than two decades by a US-Russian-led consortium that includes Canada, Japan and 11 European countries.

More from Local

Coming Up on Dubai Eye

  • The Best of Dubai Eye 103.8

    Noon - 4:00pm

    Hear the highlights from the week gone by on Dubai Eye 103.8. Listen again to the best interviews, advice and the top stories that has gripped our conversation this week.

  • Extra Time At The Weekend

    4:00pm - 7:00pm

    Passionate about sport? Then this is where you belong. Tom Urquhart, Chris McHardy and Robbie Greenfield are joined by an elite team of guests each week to look at all the sporting highlights of the weekend.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST LATEST

On Dubai Eye

  • Is There Sufficient House Supply In UAE

    Dubai’s current population is more than double compared to almost twenty years ago, which now stands at 3.7 million. Lots of families are also moving to the UAE now. So what does it mean for the property market?

  • Noon's First Female Delivery Driver

    Glory Ehirim Nkiruka is Noon’s first ever female delivery driver. In her first ever interview, she explained why she loves her job, despite the heat!