A Closer Look: Sultan Al Neyadi's return to Earth


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In A Closer Look, The National provides an in-depth take on one of the main stories of the week

It's been six months since Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi blasted off to the International Space Station, which means it is time to go home again.

On Saturday, September 2, Dr Al Neyadi will leave the ISS and begin his 24-hour journey back to Earth.

But what will he need to do to prepare for the trip, and how will he adapt to no longer being in space?

Host Sarah Forster speaks to The National's Space Editor Sarwat Nasir to find out.

Read more

Five top moments of Sultan Al Neyadi’s historic space mission

Sultan Al Neyadi speaks to his children from space

Sultan Al Neyadi's time in space – in pictures

  • Lift-off from Nasa's Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, early on March 2, 2023. AFP
    Lift-off from Nasa's Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, early on March 2, 2023. AFP
  • The crew-6 board the Dragon spacecraft to take them to the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa screengrab
    The crew-6 board the Dragon spacecraft to take them to the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa screengrab
  • Sultan Al Neyadi's first A Call with Space video chat with the public, held at Dubai Opera on March 21. Pawan Singh / The National
    Sultan Al Neyadi's first A Call with Space video chat with the public, held at Dubai Opera on March 21. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Dr Al Neyadi captured an image of his hometown of Umm Ghafa in Al Ain on April 12. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
    Dr Al Neyadi captured an image of his hometown of Umm Ghafa in Al Ain on April 12. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
  • This photo from space shows The Palm Jumeirah, Jebel Ali Industrial area and residential areas in Dubai. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
    This photo from space shows The Palm Jumeirah, Jebel Ali Industrial area and residential areas in Dubai. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
  • Dr Al Neyadi on March 4, a day after arriving on the ISS. Photo: MBRSC
    Dr Al Neyadi on March 4, a day after arriving on the ISS. Photo: MBRSC
  • Dr Al Neyadi takes a selfie from inside the ISS. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
    Dr Al Neyadi takes a selfie from inside the ISS. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
  • The eye of Cyclone Biparjoy in footage captured by the UAE astronaut on June 13. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi
    The eye of Cyclone Biparjoy in footage captured by the UAE astronaut on June 13. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi
  • Holding small tomatoes grown on the ISS. Photo: Nasa
    Holding small tomatoes grown on the ISS. Photo: Nasa
  • Dr Al Neyadi in front of the ISS cupola on March 14. Photo: Nasa
    Dr Al Neyadi in front of the ISS cupola on March 14. Photo: Nasa
  • The astronaut captured a massive sandstorm sweeping across the Sahara on March 30. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi
    The astronaut captured a massive sandstorm sweeping across the Sahara on March 30. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi
  • On April 28 he became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
    On April 28 he became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
  • He captured a stunning image of the Eye of Sahara - a geological structure made up of ancient rocks - from the ISS on May 4. Sultan Al Neyadi / X
    He captured a stunning image of the Eye of Sahara - a geological structure made up of ancient rocks - from the ISS on May 4. Sultan Al Neyadi / X
  • Speaking to students at UAE University in Al Ain on a live call from the ISS on May 23. Ryan Lim / The National
    Speaking to students at UAE University in Al Ain on a live call from the ISS on May 23. Ryan Lim / The National
  • An image of the UAE and Oman taken by the Emirati astronaut on May 24. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
    An image of the UAE and Oman taken by the Emirati astronaut on May 24. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X
  • Sultan Al Neyadi called Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, from the ISS on July 3. Photo: Dubai Media Office
    Sultan Al Neyadi called Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, from the ISS on July 3. Photo: Dubai Media Office
Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

The%20specs
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RESULTS

 

Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)

Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke

Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)

Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke

Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)

Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO

Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision

Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke

Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)

Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke

Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO

Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision

French business

France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.

The biog

Age: 46

Number of Children: Four

Hobby: Reading history books

Loves: Sports

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

Gifts exchanged
  • King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
  • Queen Camilla -  Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
  • Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
  • Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Company profile

Date started: December 24, 2018

Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer

Based: Dubai Media City

Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)

Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech

Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year

Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020

The smuggler

Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple. 
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.

Khouli conviction

Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.

For sale

A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.

- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico

- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000

- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950

THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick

Hometown: Cologne, Germany

Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)

Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes

Favourite hobby: Football

Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

THE SPECS

BMW X7 xDrive 50i

Engine: 4.4-litre V8

Transmission: Eight-speed Steptronic transmission

Power: 462hp

Torque: 650Nm

Price: Dh600,000

Company%20profile
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Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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UAE Rugby finals day

Games being played at The Sevens, Dubai

2pm, UAE Conference final

Dubai Tigers v Al Ain Amblers

4pm, UAE Premiership final

Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons

The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X

Price, as tested: Dh84,000

Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: Six-speed auto

Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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Updated: March 06, 2024, 7:54 AM
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