Jessica Meir snapped this image of Abu Dhabi from the International Space Station - 400km above Earth. Mussaffah and Khalifa City can be seen in the lower left and the green lights of Riyadh City on the upper right. Jessica Meir / Nasa
Jessica Meir snapped this image of Abu Dhabi from the International Space Station - 400km above Earth. Mussaffah and Khalifa City can be seen in the lower left and the green lights of Riyadh City on the upper right. Jessica Meir / Nasa
Jessica Meir snapped this image of Abu Dhabi from the International Space Station - 400km above Earth. Mussaffah and Khalifa City can be seen in the lower left and the green lights of Riyadh City on the upper right. Jessica Meir / Nasa
Jessica Meir snapped this image of Abu Dhabi from the International Space Station - 400km above Earth. Mussaffah and Khalifa City can be seen in the lower left and the green lights of Riyadh City on t

'What a fantastic view!' Hazza's astronaut crew mate shares stunning Abu Dhabi space image


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Nasa astronaut Jessica Meir snapped this stunning picture of Abu Dhabi by night and sent a message to former crew mate Hazza Al Mansouri from 400km above Earth.

The American passed over the capital on board the International Space Station and posted the image at 3.40am on Friday.

Ms Meir and Maj Al Mansouri blasted off from Kazakhstan in September alongside mission commander Oleg Skripochka.

The Emirati spent eight days on board before returning to Earth with another crew, while Ms Meir will stay on until spring 2020.

"The very first astronaut from the United Arab Emirates launched to space this year – in the same rocket as me!" she wrote on Twitter.

"Thinking about my new colleagues and friends (@astro_hazzaa & @Astro_Alneyadi) made my view even more spectacular. Goodnight Abu Dhabi!"

Maj Al Mansouri thanked for her the message from space.

"What a fantastic view you have, my friend, I was honoured to work with you inboard the space station. Good night from the Earth."

During his eight days on board he hosted live Q&As for thousands of UAE school pupils and conducted experiments they sent up with him.

Maj Al Mansouri, a fighter pilot who flew the F-16 Block 60 for the UAE Air Force, recently spoke of coming to term with his new hero status.

“The first time I went to mosque, after returning, I met a couple of kids who asked me about the space mission,” he said at an event in Dubai.

“The next day I went back and was shocked by the crowds of children there waiting for me and I spent an hour explaining it all to them.”

A recent trip to Masdar Park, Abu Dhabi, with his family soon led to a crowd converging on its new hero.

“Some of the kids there recognised me and I spent two hours answering all their questions,” he said.

“My wife joked ‘that’s it, we’re not going out anymore’.”

This month, the search for the next class of astronauts was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.

Almost 1,000 applications were made in the first four hours.

  • UAE astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, left, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka are seen on screens during their final exams at the Russian cosmonaut training center in Star City outside Moscow, Russia. EPA
    UAE astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, left, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka are seen on screens during their final exams at the Russian cosmonaut training center in Star City outside Moscow, Russia. EPA
  • Maj Al Mansouri and Skripochka attend their final exams. EPA
    Maj Al Mansouri and Skripochka attend their final exams. EPA
  • The September 25 mission crew, Hazza Al Mansouri, with cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and astronaut Jessica Meir, during their final exams in Star City.
    The September 25 mission crew, Hazza Al Mansouri, with cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and astronaut Jessica Meir, during their final exams in Star City.
  • Hazza Al Mansouri is being put through his paces in Moscow ahead of his journey to the International Space Station next month. EPA
    Hazza Al Mansouri is being put through his paces in Moscow ahead of his journey to the International Space Station next month. EPA
  • Al Mansouri attends his final exams. EPA
    Al Mansouri attends his final exams. EPA
  • Maj Al Mansouri attends his final exams in Russia. EPA
    Maj Al Mansouri attends his final exams in Russia. EPA
  • Al Mansouri, Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir attend their final exams. EPA
    Al Mansouri, Skripochka and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir attend their final exams. EPA
  • Al Mansouri, Skripochka and Meir attend their final exams. EPA
    Al Mansouri, Skripochka and Meir attend their final exams. EPA
  • Maj Hazza Al Mansouri will complete a series of assessments during the mock mission in Russia this weekend.
    Maj Hazza Al Mansouri will complete a series of assessments during the mock mission in Russia this weekend.
  • The history-making astronaut is joined in Russia by reserve astronaut, Sultan Al Neyadi.
    The history-making astronaut is joined in Russia by reserve astronaut, Sultan Al Neyadi.
  • Maj Hazza Al Mansouri is preparing for his voyage into space on September 25.
    Maj Hazza Al Mansouri is preparing for his voyage into space on September 25.
  • The UAE's first astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri is set to blast off into space on September 25. All pictures by Wam
    The UAE's first astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri is set to blast off into space on September 25. All pictures by Wam