Tobi Oluwatoyin
After being launched to the International Space Station last week, the second United Arab Emirates astronaut is still getting used to life in space.
“I continue to manage. Sultan al-Neyadi acknowledged on Tuesday that he was still learning, but added that he hoped to get better soon.
He is the first Arab astronaut to be given a long spaceflight—the others were only there for about a week—and the second UAE astronaut to fly in space. He will remain there through September.
Al-Neyadi gave Dubai’s ruler reassurance that he and the rest of his crew are healthy during a video call on Tuesday. But he jokingly suggested that the tiny plush astronaut toy he was holding might be handling microgravity better than he is.
“Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the nation’s vice president and prime minister, made the statement from the space center that bears his name. “I am thankful to God you have reached the International Space Station and thank God for your safety,” he said.
Last Thursday, al-Neyadi, a Russian cosmonaut, and two NASA astronauts were launched by SpaceX on their six-month mission.
Hazzaa al-Mansoori, the first UAE astronaut, participated in the brief video chat on Tuesday from Dubai. Al-Mansoori was joined on his 2019 space station mission by al-astronaut Neyadi’s doll, Suhail, Arabic for the brilliant star Canopus.
“Al-Neyadi spoke as flags for the UAE and its space center hung behind him. “Hopefully, people will follow in the footsteps of my brother Hazzaa and me. “This is what we anticipate.
