UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi to make ‘A Call from Space’ with students in Ras Al Khaimah on June 14

Ras Al Khaimah: Students in Ras Al Khaimah will have a chance to speak to UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who is onboard the International Space Station (ISS), during the latest edition of ‘A Call from Space’ tomorrow, June 14.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), in partnership with the General Secretariat of Ras Al Khaimah’s Executive Council, will hold the invite-only event at 2pm at Higher Colleges of Technology – Ras Al Khaimah Women’s Campus.

The sixth edition of the series will provide attendees from schools, universities and government entities in Ras Al Khaimah the opportunity to interact live with A lNeyadi, who is currently undertaking the longest Arab space mission in history, which is six months long. They will also have the chance to learn about Al Neyadi’s experiences and ask him questions about life in space.

Close to 5,500 people have taken part in the past five editions of the event, giving attendees a glimpse into Al Neyadi’s work on the ISS. The first event in the series was held at the Dubai Opera, followed by the second for media at the Museum of the Future.

The third edition was held in Mauritius, while the fourth session was held at the United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain. The last session that took place on June 7 was a special medical science edition held at MBRU in Dubai.

Milestone in Arab history

Al Neyadi has been on the ISS for more than three months now, marking a significant milestone in Arab space exploration. Over the course of his mission, he has gone on to conduct several scientific experiments, performed maintenance work and even aided in the relocation of the Dragon spacecraft.

During his current mission, Al Neyadi also became the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk. The spacewalk, which was performed alongside astronaut Stephen Bowen, spanned seven hours and one minute and involved skilfully executing a number of preparatory tasks, which included routing power cables and laying the groundwork for the upcoming installation of the ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA).

The UAE Astronaut Programme is one of the projects managed by MBRSC under the UAE’s National Space Programme and funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country’s integration on the global stage.