Sultan Al Neyadi, the first Arab Emirati astronaut to walk in space

On Friday, Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi created history by performing the first spacewalk of an Arab country from the International Space Station (ISS).

Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi today ventured outside the International Space Station, ISS, to complete a maintenance mission, becoming the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk.

,We count down the hours that separate us from our passage through the ISS airlock and our entry into space. Wearing a spacesuit and proudly holding the UAE flag in my hand, I will soon perform the first spacewalk in the Arab world. wish us luck”, tweeted Sultan Al Neyadi before performing the spacewalk.

Al Neyadi, 41, has been dubbed the “Sultan of Space” by his alma mater. He is also the first Arab astronaut to spend six months in space after launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in early March.

The event was broadcast live by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre, MBRSC, the agency responsible for the UAE’s astronaut program in Dubai, which began at 4:30 pm UAE time.

The mission can be followed live.

During the spacewalk, Al Neyadi wore a space suit decorated with the Emirati flag. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) described the moment as a “new historical milestone”. NASA broadcast live footage from the incident, which shows Alnedi exiting the ISS hatch.

MBRSC and NASA also confirmed that Al Neyadi spent approximately six and a half hours performing the spacewalk.

NASA also reported that Al Neyadi worked with NASA’s Stephen Bowen to complete critical tasks such as the replacement of the Radio Frequency Group Unit and preparation for the installation of solar panels on the ISS. The mission also included routing power cables outside the ISS to prepare for future power system upgrades.