Ever thought there’d be a day when you’d be able to communicate from the earth to space? Well, this too has now become reality. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) hosted an exclusive call with the UAE astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, at Dubai’s Museum Of The Future. The first one took place at the Dubai Opera on March 21.
‘A Call With Space’ was attended by more than 130 attendees from the local and international media. During the event, media representatives had the unique opportunity to engage in a live interaction with astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, who is currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), undergoing the longest Arab space mission in history.
The event began with Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director-General of MBRSC, addressing the attendees with a keynote speech, during which he provided insights on the progress of the missions of the Centre and future plans. Here’s all that was discussed at the ‘second’ call from space.
Also read: From Earth To Space: Hh Sheikh Mohammad Holds Call With Sultan Al Neyadi
Al Neyadi chatted about his routine, health, family & more
In his second call from earth to space, UAE astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi discussed his life in space, daily routine and much more with the guests.
Speaking during the live call, astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi revealed that he has adjusted well to life in space, after being on the ISS for more than 40 days. He also gave the attendees insights about the scientific experiments he has done till date, including working on heart tissues, diabetes treatment, and 3D printing of knee meniscus. AlNeyadi also spoke about the beauty of the Earth as seen from space and the importance of protecting the planet.
AlNeyadi said that he, just like all of us on earth, has daily deadline. They have a schedule, and there’s a red line that they must maintain. “If you are running behind the red line, then you are late, so the aim is to go beyond the red line and not be late. Time flies in space. We are so busy that we can’t feel the time pass by. We see 16 sunrises and sunsets every day. But we have adapted to this biological clock”, he added.
Next up, the UAE astronaut gave us updates about his health. “My weight has been the same so far, but if it changes then it needs to be addressed. I am being monitored by Dr Hanan Al Suwaidi. We have a treadmill on which we exercise and have weights. People who do not exercise can face problems later and some may even require rehabilitation later.”
AlNeyadi is in touch with his family on a daily basis through video and voice calls and even emails. “If they are happy and if you all on Earth are happy, then I am happy”, AlNeyadi said.
This call was part of MBRSC’s second episode of its countrywide outreach initiative. ‘A Call with Space’ will now head to venues across other emirates in the UAE. The next event in the series is scheduled for May.
Also Read: Sultan Al Neyadi Shares Breathtaking Image Of UAE From Space
That’s not all! You’ve got more from space. Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi is set to perform a space on April 28th. Al Neyadi has trained for more than 55 hours at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in preparation for spacewalks. While at the NBL, AlNeyadi underwent nine runs of six hours each, training underwater simulating spacewalks utilising the full mock-up of the ISS. Showing a glimpse of his preparation for the world, Al Neyadi also shared a post on Instagram.
Hamad Obaid AlMansoori, Chairman of MBRSC, said, “Sultan AlNeyadi’s historic spacewalk is a testament to the UAE’s unwavering dedication to advancing the frontiers of space exploration and fostering international cooperation. As the first Arab astronaut set to perform an EVA, AlNeyadi carries the aspirations of the entire region and symbolises the limitless possibilities of our collective achievements.” Read the full story here.
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