President Sheikh Mohamed speaks to Sultan Al Neyadi before historic UAE space mission

Astronaut will blast off to the International Space Station on Monday morning

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  Sultan Al Neyadi, the Emirati astronaut who is heading to the International Space Station - seen here with his three crewmates - arrives at the launch site at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. All photos: Sarwat Nasir / The National

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  From right: Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg, Dr Al Neyadi and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev

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  Hazza Al Mansouri, the first Emirati in space and Dr Al Neyadi's back-up astronaut for the mission, waves to the camera

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  The Crew-6 astronauts disembark a Nasa plane at the Kennedy Space Centre

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  Dr Al Neyadi said he will take lots of delicious dates to space with him

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  Salem Al Marri, director-general of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, right, with his Nasa colleagues during the ceremony

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  Dr Al Neyadi with the mission's commander, Stephen Bowen

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  The astronauts give brief speeches during the event

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  Dr Al Neyadi said that he 'couldn't believe it was real' but that he and his crew were ready for the mission

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  Mr Al Marri briefed the audience on the UAE's space ambitions

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  Adnan Al Rais, the manager for the UAE Space Mission 2, was also in attendance

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  Maj Al Mansouri was there to support his colleague as back-up astronaut for the mission

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  After the ceremony, the crew boarded a vehicle that took them to quarantine

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  The crew board a vehicle to go to their quarantine quarters

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  Dr Al Neyadi is being supported by his colleagues at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, many who are attending the launch in Florida. Photo: Mbrsc

President Sheikh Mohamed has spoken to Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi on the eve of his history-making journey to the International Space Station.

The UAE leader checked on Dr Al Neyadi's preparations ahead of lift-off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 10.45am, UAE time, on Monday.

Nasa and SpaceX have given the green light for the launch date, with the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon capsule systems looking normal and weather good.

Dr Al Neyadi, 41, will spend six months aboard the ISS in what will be the Arab world's longest space mission.

Messages of support have been pouring in from across the Emirates.

In a message on Twitter, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, spoke of the nation's pride.

"Inspired by the late Sheikh Zayed’s vision, Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi is set to embark on a 6-month mission to the International Space Station,' Sheikh Hamdan wrote.

"We are proud of Sultan, MBRSC [Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre] and everyone who aspires to achieve the best for the UAE."

Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai, said the astronaut was fulfilling the dreams of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

"A new dream comes true for the UAE, led by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre," he wrote on Twitter.

"Our Sultan Al Neyadi embarks on the longest mission for an Arab astronaut to the International Space Station.

"With him our ambitions and our late father, Zayed’s dream, to build the future of humanity grows."