Dubai: Whether you’re an astronaut wannabe, a space geek or just curious about life in space, you have a chance to watch and connect with Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansoori during his eight-day stay on the International Space Station (ISS) next week.
Soon to be the first Emirati and Arab astronaut on the ISS on September 25, Hazza will have four space-to-Earth calls or live sessions where he will be shown in a video feed inside the ISS, according to his official schedule earlier released by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC).
Tour in Arabic
On his fourth day on the ISS, Hazza is scheduled to conduct a tour of the orbital lab in Arabic which will be done for the first time in the station’s two-decade existence.
“We’ll be launching a hashtag so they can ask questions through Twitter and we’ll select the best ones and ask Hazza,” Salem Al Merri, MBRSC assistant director-general and head of the UAE Astronaut Programme, told Gulf News.
“Also, we will have a tent at MBRSC and school children, university students and others will be invited to come there and they will be able to ask Hazza questions live during those four sessions,” he added.
Al Merri said more details will be released as the launch date approaches and he encouraged the public to stay tuned.
Before the live space-to-Earth call, Hazza will also connect with the UAE through two-way radio from 11.33pm to 11.42pm (UAE time).
The first live session will take place on his second day on the ISS on a Friday at 2.30pm. The next will be on Sunday at 2.40pm to 2.57pm. Two more sessions are scheduled on Monday and Tuesday at 4.14pm-4.34pm. The calls will last for roughly 17 to 20 minutes each.
The ISS has been continuously supporting humans in space since 2000. Hazza will be the 240th visitor on the giant floating laboratory that orbits the Earth at an altitude of around 400km.
Once on the station, Hazza will conduct 16 scientific experiments, the results of which will be shared with the international community.
Hazza’s Schedule:
Launch date: September 25 (Wednesday)
Lift-off: 5.56pm
Docking: 12am, September 26
Hatch Opening: 2am
Day 1, September 26 (Thursday):
- Science in space experiments
- HAM Radio: 11.33pm-11.42pm
Day 2, September 27 (Friday):
- Time perception in microgravity
- Fluid dynamics in space experiments
- Live session 2.30pm
Day 3, September 28 (Saturday):
- Science in space experiments
- Cardiovector
- Time perception in microgravity
Day 4, September 29 (Sunday):
- ISS tour in Arabic
- Live session: 2.40pm – 2.57pm
- Countermeasures
Day 5, September 30 (Monday):
- Live session: 4.14pm -4.34pm
- Osteology
- Fluid dynamics in space experiments
- Science in space experiments
Day 6, October 1 (Tuesday):
- Live session: 4.14pm -4.34pm
- Fluid dynamics in space experiments
- Science in space experiments
Day 7, October 2. (Wednesday):
- Science in space experiments
- Undock preparation
Day 8, October 3 (Thursday):
- Undock at 11.36am (as per Nasa)
- Landing: 2.58pm
BOX 2: Where to Watch:
Gulf News will be closely following Hazza’s trip until he comes back. You may log on to https://gulfnews.com/.
You may also watch Nasa’s Official Livestream: https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive or in their YouTube channel.
Trip to ISS:
September 25 (Wed), 5pm (UAE): Start of the coverage of Expedition 61 crew on the Soyuz MS-15 starts at 5pm (UAE time). Lift-off is at 5.56pm UAE time
September 25 (Wed), 11.15pm (UAE): Start of the coverage of the Soyuz MS-15 docking on the International Space Station; Docking scheduled at around midnight the following day
September 26 (Thurs), 1.15am (UAE): Start of the coverage of the hatch opening and welcoming ceremony. The hatch opening is scheduled at 2am, UAE time.
Return Trip to Earth:
October 3 (Thurs) 11am (UAE): Start of the coverage of Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft undocking; The actual undocking starts at 11.36am. Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansoori will return to Earth with Russian commander Alexey Ovchinin and Nasa astronaut Nick Hague
October 3 (Thurs), 1.30pm (UAE): Start of the coverage of the deorbit burn scheduled at 2pm while landing is scheduled at 2.58pm near Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan which is 661.5km from Baikonur Cosmodrome.
Source: Nasa
