UAE chooses astronaut for 6-month ISS mission

The UAE's Sultan Al Neyadi has been selected as the first Arab astronaut to be part of a six-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

With this, the UAE will become the 11th country in history to send a long-term mission to space.

Al Neyadi will be part of the SpaceX Crew-6 mission scheduled for launch next year from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre.

#UAE's Sultan AlNeyadi to become the 1st Arab astronaut to undergo a six-month mission to the International Space Station scheduled for 2023. The UAE will be the 11th country in history to send a long-term mission to space. @MBRSpaceCentre @Space_Station pic.twitter.com/QTY2unOT5Y

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 25, 2022

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan congratulated Al Neyadi.

He said this historic milestone builds on the strong foundations of the UAE’s space programme.

I am proud to congratulate Sultan Al Neyadi on being selected as the 1st Arab astronaut to spend 6 months on the International Space Station as part of a mission to commence in 2023. This historic milestone builds on the strong foundations of the UAE’s burgeoning space programme.

— محمد بن زايد (@MohamedBinZayed) July 25, 2022

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, also expressed pride in the achievement.

He said it's yet another example of Emirati youth raising the UAE's aspirations to the sky.

من بين مجموعة من رواد الفضاء الإماراتيين في مركز محمد بن راشد للفضاء، تم اختيار سلطان النيادي ليكون أول رائد فضاء عربي سيقضي مهمة طويلة تستغرق ٦ أشهر في محطة الفضاء الدولية العام المقبل باذن الله . شبابنا رفعوا رؤوسنا للسماء ..حيث مكان ومكانة دولة الإمارات المستحقة . pic.twitter.com/K0jksGjq0H

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) July 25, 2022

Al Neyadi will spend six months aboard the ISS, during which he will conduct many in-depth and advanced scientific experiments.

He will be the second Emirati astronaut to fly to space, after Hazza Al Mansouri spent eight days in the ISS in 2019.

Here's an overview at the journey of astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, who will launch to the International Space Station in the spring of 2023 for a 6-month mission.#UAEAstronautProgramme pic.twitter.com/JULwlP28LP

— MBR Space Centre (@MBRSpaceCentre) July 25, 2022