After 6 years of UAE in space, Hazzaa Al Mansoori reveals touching family gifts that flew to ISS

Dubai: Six years after making history as the first Emirati to venture into space, Hazzaa Al Mansoori has opened his heart to share the deeply personal items that accompanied him on his groundbreaking eight-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

In a touching video posted to mark the anniversary of the first UAE mission to ISS on September 25, 2019, the pioneering astronaut revealed precious family mementos that have never been publicly disclosed before, including a camel plush toy from his children and a handmade bracelet in UAE flag colours crafted by his mother.

"6 years have passed since my launch for the Zayed Ambition mission to space. I carry countless beautiful memories from that journey, and in my office and home I still keep the items and souvenirs that travelled with me aboard the International Space Station. Today, I wanted to share a few of them with you on this anniversary, which means a lot to me," he posted on X.

Space suit secrets

Al Mansoori began by showcasing some parts of his Sokol (falcon) space suit, explaining the intricate details that few outside the astronaut community understand.

"Every astronaut has their special glove designed specifically to fit their hands. We use the gloves particularly for operating the buttons inside the Soyuz capsule and to interact with the screens in it," he explained.

The watch he wore had an unusually long strap. "This is because we wear it above the spacesuit [near the elbow], and it helps us in tracking time. And it is very important to do so," Al Mansoori revealed.

Perhaps most intriguingly, he showed the mirror attached to his spacesuit sleeve. "We attach this mirror after we wear the suit and gloves and they reflect the instruments placed on the spacesuit to enable us to see the data and read it. It is difficult for us as astronauts to look down and see the data."

Special gift from ISS

The camaraderie between international astronauts shone through as Al Mansoori shared gifts from his space colleagues.

American astronaut Andrew Morgan presented him with a harmonica inscribed with "Welcome to the ISS Hazzaa," a gesture that exemplified the international spirit of space exploration.

He also displayed a patch from the return spaceflight Soyuz-MS 12, featuring the names of his crewmates Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin and NASA astronaut Nick Hague, signed by fellow astronauts aboard the ISS.

Why use scissors as cutlery

Al Mansoori demystified space dining by showing his eating utensils, which included an unexpected item as cutlery: scissors.

"The scissors are a very important component as they enable us to cut sealed food bags which we heat first and then cut open. After which we use the spoon, which as you see, is relatively long helping us to reach deep into the food bags and enjoy our meal,” he explained.

The practicalities of zero gravity dining became clear as he explained: "We must ensure we secure the spoons and eating utensils as everything aboard the ISS floats."

Family treasures

The most emotionally charged moments came when Al Mansoori revealed the personal items from his family that accompanied him to space.

"Part of the things I also carried to space were from my family. My children gave me this camel plush,” Al Mansoori said.

He shared visuals of him filming it against the Cupola during his mission. “I took photos and videos of it in space. When I returned from the mission, I gifted this toy to them," he shared with visible emotion.

The most touching revelation was saved for last: a bracelet in UAE flag colours handmade by his mother.

"This bracelet was made by my mother, and I wore it during the mission. It always used to remind me of her and of the main goal of the mission which was representing the UAE."

Al Mansoori concluded by displaying a pin bearing the image of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE, explaining the deeper significance of his historic mission’s name.

"I carried this pin during the Zayed Ambition mission (1) because the late Sheikh Zayed ignited the spark in us and began this ambition and dream. This is why we called our missions Zayed Ambition."

National pride

The video served as both a personal reflection and a demonstration of the UAE's space achievements. Al Mansoori carried the UAE flag and represented not just his country but the entire Arab world during his historic mission.

At the time of his mission, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai, the agency behind the UAE Astronaut Programme, provided Al Mansoori with a 10 kg bag, which included important elements of Emirati heritage, culture and history.

According to previous Gulf News reports, Hazzaa carried a 100% silk UAE flag, 30 Al Ghaf seeds, the Qur’an, a picture of Sheikh Zayed, and Sheikh Mohammed’s book Qissati. His bag also held three traditional UAE dishes — madrooba, saloona, and balaleet — for an Emirati night with fellow astronauts, plus personal items including family photos.

The previously undisclosed details once again showed the softer side of space travel where advanced technology meets family love and national pride, reaching beyond the boundaries of Earth's atmosphere.