In A Closer Look, The National provides an in-depth take on one of the main stories of the week
Five years ago, Hazza Al Mansouri made history by becoming the first Emirati to venture into space.
Blasting off from Kazakhstan on September 25, 2019, the astronaut kicked off what would quickly become the UAE's vastly impressive space programme.
Shortly after his week-long mission, the UAE's Hope probe was launched, followed by notable events such as the second Emirati in space, Dr Sultan Al Neyadi – who became first Arab to perform a spacewalk – and the attempted landing of the Rashid Rover.
Here, host Sarah Forster speaks to The National's Space Editor Sarwat Nasir about watching that historic launch first hand and the rapid progress made since.
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Five years on: Astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri reflects on being first Emirati in space
Emirati astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri begin tour of UAE schools
UAE's Sultan Al Neyadi becomes first Arab to walk in space: in pictures
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Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi posted new pictures of his April 28 spacewalk. Photo: @Astro_Alneyadi / Twitter -
Dr Al Neyadi made history by becoming the first Arab to walk in space. Photo: @Astro_Alneyadi / Twitter -
He was assisted by American astronaut Stephen Bowen. Photo: @Astro_Alneyadi / Twitter -
The spacewalk lasted six and a half hours. Photo: @Astro_Alneyadi / Twitter -
Dr Al Neyadi prepares for the spacewalk. All subsequent photos: Nasa -
Dr Al Neyadi steps out of the International Space Station -
Fellow UAE astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, increment lead of Expedition 69 on Earth, monitoring the mission from the Johnson Space Centre -
The view from Dr Al Neyadi's camera -
The astronauts outside the space station -
The astronauts carry out maintenance work on the International Space Station -
Dr Al Neyadi, top, carries out repairs outside the ISS -
The pair exited the space station at 5.41pm GST -
The spacewalk officially began at 5.11pm when their spacesuits switched to battery power -
While the spacesuits weigh 127kg, astronauts cannot feel this weight in space -
The astronauts are tethered to the station while floating in microgravity more than 400km above the Earth -
Dr Al Neyadi carries out repairs
