An Emirati astronaut, Sultan Al Neyadi, is now counting down the hours after staying in space for nearly six months. The UAE awaits with bated breath to witness the moment when he touches down the earth.
The announcement of his return was made by Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) following the completion of his space mission, the longest for an Arab country.
On September 2 and 3, the MBRSC, the agency of the UAE Astronaut Programme, will livestream two segments of Al Neyadi’s return to earth on its website.
Announcing the details of the live broadcast on Thursday, August 31, MBRSC said “Be a part of this historic achievement using the hashtag #SafeReturnSultan.”
The live coverage will be as per the following schedule.
The undocking from the International Space Station happened September 2. The live coverage will start from 3 pm onwards on September.
According to the US Space Agency NASA, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft hatch closing with Crew-6 aboard is anticipated to take place around 3:20 pm GST on Saturday, September 2. The deorbit burn, entrance, and splashdown of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will be covered the next day.
NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen will pilot Endeavour and guide Woody Hoburg, Al Neyadi, and Andrey Fedyaev of Roscosmos to a splashdown off the coast of Florida, NASA informed.
Since his arrival at the ISS, the Emirati astronaut has been posting stunning views of Earth from space, besides sharing some of his challenges and achievements.
Sultan Al Neyadi made history on March 2 by becoming the first Arab to join a long-term space mission that will last six months, as part of SpaceX’s programme.
Threat of Idalia
Hurricane Idalia, a devastating Category 3 hurricane, struck Florida on Wednesday, August 30 morning when it passed over Keaton Beach on the state’s Gulf Coast.
Joint teams are monitoring the weather forecasts for seven potential splashdown locations off the coast of Florida as well as any potential effects Hurricane Idalia may have on the recovery procedures for the incoming astronauts, according to NASA.
The agency said it will share more information on Crew-6 return as it becomes available.
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