UAE astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi exits the spacecraft after landing on Earth on September 4, 2023. MOHAMMED BIN RASHID SPACE CENTRE

UAE astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi returned to Earth on Monday (September 4) aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule that splashed down off the coast of Florida. The landing caps AlNeyadi’s historic six-month space mission aboard the International Space Station. This was the Arab world’s first extended space mission and also the first time that an Arab astronaut performed a spacewalk. AlNeyadi was with three other astronauts as their space capsule splashed down in the Atlantic ocean at 8:17am UAE time on Monday. Engineers were on hand to unbolt the hatch of the capsule and help the astronauts exit the space craft. AlNeyadi was seen smiling and waving to the camera after leaving the capsule. He and his fellow astronauts are expected to be taken to a medical facility as they recover from spending a long time in space and get used to Earth’s gravity. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan congratulated AlNeyadi on his return. "My son, Sultan Al Neyadi, thank God for your safe return to Earth after the longest Arab mission in space,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Together with the national work teams, you made a historic Emirati achievement and contributed to the service of science and humanity. With all of you, our ambitions in the field of space are great and continuous. “Science is our weapon, and the effort of our children is our asset. May God grant success," Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed added. In Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, echoed the same sentiment. Sheikh Mohammed said the mission was a big win for Arab youth. AlNeyadi’s return to Earth was delayed by a day due to weather conditions. Hanan Al Suwaidi, an Emirati physician who looks after AlNeyadi's health, said that the astronaut will undergo a recovery programme in Houston, Texas, that all NASA astronauts go through after long-duration missions. “Overall, Sultan's health has been maintained through the prescribed protocols in terms of an exercise regimen and nutritional requirements during his mission in the past six months,” Al Suwaidi said.

What is next for UAE space mission?

AlNeyadi's mission will continue after his return to Earth to benefit from the scientific experiments he participated in ISS, according to Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). Onboard the ISS, AlNeyadi carried out science experiments, while also interacting with people on Earth through live calls organized by the MBRSC. Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director-General of MBRSC, said that one of the MBRSC's teams will focus on the safety of the astronauts and their medical rehabilitation to return to normality, which will take a few weeks. AlNeyadi is part of the UAE’s four-member astronaut team that also includes Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati in space, and Nora Al Matrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla, who are both training at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston. The space centre previously announced that it aims to send Emirati astronauts to space every two to three years. The UAE also aims to land on the Moon. ICA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube page