The United Arab Emirates continues to make significant strides in space exploration, with Sultan Al Neyadi etching his name in history as the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk. The father of six from Al Ain exited the International Space Station at 5.41pm GST on Friday alongside Nasa colleague Stephen Bowen, embarking on a six-and-a-half-hour maintenance assignment.
President Sheikh Mohamed expressed his pride in Dr. Al Neyadi’s accomplishments, stating that the UAE is continuing to make a meaningful contribution to space exploration and science. His sentiments were echoed by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who tweeted his congratulations and pride.
بعد ٣ سنوات من التدريب المكثف .. رأينا اليوم سلطان النيادي في أول مهمة للسير في الفضاء الخارجي.. وتنفيذ مهمات لتركيب أجزاء جديدة وإجراء صيانة في محطة الفضاء الدولية .. أول إماراتي .. أول عربي .. أول مسلم .. يسير في الفضاء الخارجي .. فخورين بذلك .
يقولون بأن ثلثي نجوم السماء… pic.twitter.com/acxJvVGNDy— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 28, 2023
The Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, lauded the landmark moment as a significant milestone in the UAE’s space ambitions. “We take great pride in this achievement and celebrate this momentous occasion. We also wish Sultan Al Neyadi a safe and successful mission,” he wrote on Twitter.
During the spacewalk, Dr Al Neyadi and Mr Bowen carried out several tasks, including retrieving and relocating foot restraints for future spacewalks and preparing the station for a future solar array installation. They also attempted to retrieve a piece of communications hardware but were unsuccessful.
The historic moment comes in a busy week for UAE space exploration. On Tuesday, the Rashid rover became the first Arab spacecraft to reach lunar orbit, while the Hope probe orbiting Mars sent back data that calls into question the origins of a Martian moon.
The UAE’s significant accomplishments in space exploration are a testament to the country’s investment in science and youth, as well as its focus on bridging differences. As Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid remarked, “Arabs are capable, Arabs are coming, Arabs are creative.
