This will be the UAE's second ISS mission, after Hazza Al Mansouri spent eight days on the orbiting science laboratory in 2019.
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has confirmed the launch of the second mission of the UAE Astronaut Programme which is scheduled for no earlier than February 26, 2023.
Aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, Sultan AlNeyadi along with two astronauts will launch to International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Once, aboard the station, Sultan will become a flight engineer for Expedition 69.
An elaborate media and public conference will be held on Wednesday, January 25, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, highlighting mission details and a public address from Salem AlMarri, Director General MBRSC.
The mission, dubbed Crew-6 will include a series of experiments and research, as well as important scientific findings about outer space. During the mission, Sultan will conduct numerous in-depth and advanced scientific experiments as part of the ‘UAE Astronaut Programme,’ which will train and prepare a team of Emirati astronauts before sending them into space to carry out various scientific missions.
The UAE Astronaut Programme launched by the MBRSC aims to establish the UAEs infrastructure for human space exploration and is one of the most inspiring programmes that aim to meet the aspirations of young people with unique scientific capacities and personal skills. It also aims to develop the capabilities of Emirati astronauts and enable them to operate the ISS.
The Programme is one of the projects 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.
