Sultan Al Neyadi returns to Earth after six months
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Sultan Al Neyadi gives the thumbs up after leaving the Dragon capsule. Photo: Nasa -
Sultan Al Neyadi with, from left, Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, NASA astronaut Warren Hoburg and fellow US astronaut Stephen Bowen, inside the SpaceX Dragon capsule, on the recovery ship Megan, after splashdown. Photo: Nasa -
Ground crew enter the SpaceX Dragon capsule. Photo: Nasa -
The SpaceX capsule is lifted out of the water. Photo: Nasa -
Support teams work around the SpaceX Dragon capsule shortly after splashdown. Photo: Nasa -
The SpaceX Dragon capsule's parachutes are deployed to slow its descent. Photo: Nasa -
The SpaceX Dragon capsule travels back towards Earth. Photo: Nasa -
The International Space Station as seen by the SpaceX Dragon capsule after undocking. Photo: Nasa -
The rockets of the SpaceX Dragon capsule's firing immediately after leaving the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa -
A graphic published by Nasa to illustrate the SpaceX Dragon capsule's trajectory immediately after leaving the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa -
The Dragon capsule moves away from the International Space Station after undocking. The white light in the centre is an interior light of the capsule. Photo: Nasa -
The SpaceX Dragon capsule docked on the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa -
Ground control before the mission. Photo: Nasa -
Sultan Al Neyadi puts on his space suit before departing the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa -
The SpaceX Dragon capsule being prepared for departure from the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa -
Sultan Al Neyadi looks at Earth from the International Space Station before leaving. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / Twitter -
The Mubadala building in Abu Dhabi is lit up to mark Sultan Al Neyadi's return to Earth from the International Space Station. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office -
The Mubadala building is lit up to mark Sultan Al Neyadi's return to Earth from the International Space Station. Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office
Sultan Al Neyadi's time on board the ISS
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Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi speaks to students at UAE University in Al Ain on a live call from the International Space Station on May 23. Ryan Lim/The National -
Dr Al Neyadi with the mission's commander, Stephen Bowen, on February 23, days before their flight to the ISS. Sarwat Nasir / The National -
Dr Al Neyadi on March 4, a day after he arrived on the ISS. Photo: MBRSC -
Dr Al Neyadi on March 7, holding small tomatoes grown on the ISS. Photo: Nasa -
Dr Al Neyadi on March 16. -
Dr Al Neyadi in front of the cupola on March 14. Photo: Nasa
Natural beauty of Arab world captured from space by Al Neyadi
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Wadis, or river valleys that are dry in winter months, in Yemen were pictured by UAE's Sultan Al Neyadi from the ISS on May 16, 2023. All photos: Nasa -
The Yemeni cities of Little Aden and Aden, on the coast of the Arabian Sea near the Red Sea, pictured by UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi on April 19, 2023. -
Sultan took a picture of Aden in Yemen on June 5. He described the country as "a land of endearing warmth, rich history, millennia-old civilisation, and architectural wonders". -
The Dead Sea (left), on the border between the Middle Eastern nations of Israel and Jordan, and Amman (center), the capital of Jordan - captured by Dr Al Neyadi from the ISS on April 13, 2023. -
Sand dunes in the desert area along the Saudi Arabia-Oman border. The image was captured by UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi on May 16, 2023. -
The middle eastern nation of Oman and its Dhofar mountains on the coast of the Arabian Sea were pictured by UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi on April 13, 2023. -
Wadis, or river valleys that are dry in winter months, in Yemen were captured by UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi on May 16, 2023. -
The semi-arid city of Hama, Syria, was pictured by UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi from the International Space Station on April 3, 2023. -
Sand dunes in the desert area along the Saudi Arabia-Oman border captured by Sultan Al Neyadi from the ISS on May 16, 2023. -
Another image of wadis in Yemen taken by UAE's Sultan Al Neyadi on May 16, 2023. -
An image of the UAE and Oman from the International Space Station, captured by Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi/Twitter -
Sultan Al Neyadi has shared an image of Abu Dhabi from space. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / Twitter -
Dr Al Neyadi captured an image of his hometown of Umm Ghafa in Al Ain on April 12, 2023.
Who is Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi?
Dr Al Neyadi's journey through the UAE’s space programme started in 2017, when he applied to become an astronaut.
The father-of-five comes from an IT background, having served as a network security engineer for the Armed Forces for many years.
He holds a doctorate in information technology from Griffith University in Australia and a degree in electronics and communications engineering from the University of Brighton in England.
“When the astronaut programme was first launched, more than 4,000 people applied, a lot of Emiratis wanted to be part of it,” he said.
Dr Al Neyadi blazed a trail alongside Hazza Al Mansouri after being selected in 2018 as the UAE's first astronauts.
Soon after selection, Dr Al Neyadi and Maj Al Mansouri, a former fighter jet pilot, took off to Russia’s Star City to start their 12-month training for the country’s first space mission.
They learnt the Russian language, carried out survival training in the brutally cold winter and spent hours each day in gravity simulators.
They also travelled across Europe for short training programmes.
Back-up astronaut
A year later, he told of his excitement as his colleague Maj Mansouri became the first Emirati to travel on board the ISS, on an eight-day trip.
He served as a back-up astronaut on that mission, training alongside Maj Mansouri who made headlines around the world as the first Arab on the ISS and first Emirati in space.
In 2020, the UAE reached an agreement with Nasa to train its astronauts.
From 2020 to early 2022, Dr Al Neyadi and Maj Al Mansouri took part in the basic training programme at Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.
The training was much more advanced. They spent hours underneath the world’s largest indoor swimming pool, flew supersonic jets and learnt how to perform spacewalks.
They travelled to Canada to learn how to operate the robotic arm on the space station, which helps receive cargo.
Their graduation made them eligible for Nasa-led missions to space.
Dr Al Neyadi underwent mission-specific training in Houston, including learning how to operate the Crew Dragon spacecraft.
He is serving as mission specialist and as an operator on the space station.
New life in Houston
Dr Al Neyadi has spent the vast bulk of his life in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi but as a Nasa-trained astronaut his current residence is in Houston, at least until his six-month mission on the ISS has ended.
The completion of the basic training programme, and the UAE's growing partnership with Nasa, means Emirati astronauts could be part of more US-led missions in future, including to the Moon.
"I'm really privileged and happy to be part of the UAE's space programme," Dr Al Neyadi said.
"We are looking to conduct even more successful missions and hopefully this will be only the beginning.
"There are many, many good plans of going back to the Moon. I think we will be a key player in that one as well. We're ready and excited."
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, 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.
