Amna Al Ketbi (Dubai)
Engineer Adnan Al-Rayes, director of the Zayed 2 ambition mission, said that Sultan Al Neyadi, the Emirati astronaut, will complete the longest mission of an Emirati and Arab astronaut in outer space at the end of this August, explaining that the date of his return will be announced soon, according to the US space agency “NASA”. Return procedures include ensuring the safety of the “Dragon” vehicle that will carry the astronauts from the International Station to Earth, and choosing the primary and secondary landing site, which will be at sea in Florida.
He explained that Al Neyadi is currently conducting scientific experiments at the International Space Station, and he and his fellow crew members of Expedition 69 are preparing to welcome the crew of the Crew 7 mission, which will launch to the International Station on August 17, bringing the total number of astronauts in the station to 11 astronauts from several countries around the world.
Al-Rayes said: Al-Neyadi will undergo medical examinations in the city of Houston as soon as he lands on the surface of the earth to ensure his health and the efficiency of his organic devices, and then start conducting medical tests on him regarding comparing the results to the experiments he conducted on himself in the gravitational environment, indicating that he faces the astronauts upon their return to Planet Earth, for several physical and health disorders, such as the inability to walk easily.
He added that Al Neyadi participated in an experiment entitled “HRF VEG” aboard the International Space Station, which was conducted in cooperation with the Kennedy Space Center, the Johnson Space Center, and NASA, and aims to enhance our understanding of agriculture and nutrition in space.
Al-Rayes said: The study focuses on understanding the general health and behavioral benefits of the presence of plants and fresh food grown in space during the scientific research VEG-05, as this research focuses on the cultivation of dwarf tomatoes to study the effects of fertilizers on the growth of the tomato crop, nutritional content and flavor, and the safety of the tomatoes produced, as well as It investigates the psychological effect in astronauts who grow, graze, and consume fresh produce during long-duration space missions.
Sultan Al Neyadi and the Crew 6 mission team are preparing to unload the cargo from the vehicle that was finally captured, and it includes a group of scientific samples that will be worked on during the remainder of the mission. Preparations are also being made to receive the crew of the Crew 7 spacecraft, who will join the International Space Station to complete scientific tasks and experiments. They will be introduced to the parts and devices included in the station, its facilities and laboratories.
Direct communication
Engineer Adnan Al-Rayes explained that the experiment is a crucial study that contributes to enhancing sustainability in the field of space exploration, and this scientific cooperation with NASA, the Kennedy Space Center and the Johnson Space Center enhances our understanding of ways to grow food in space, and pays great attention to the astronauts’ physical health and psychological well-being during missions. Long-term, we are pleased to contribute to this study through the astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, and we are confident that the results will affect the nature of long-term space missions in the future ». On how to communicate with Al Neyadi, Al Rayes confirmed that there are several ways to communicate with him, including through systems and programs, and there are daily reports sent to the pioneers at the station, according to international rules and regulations that we follow, as well as Hazza Al Mansouri, Dr. Hanan Al Suwaidi, the pioneer doctor and the operations team from the Center Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center located at the Mission Control Station in Houston, via a direct communication system, to provide Al Neyadi with daily reports, a summary of daily work, and any new tasks or additional information to perform some tasks and scientific tests, for a period ranging between 10 and 20 minutes per day.
Al-Rayes said: There are periodic contacts, which take place monthly between Al Neyadi and the work teams at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, from various sectors, and include operations, planning, scientific aspects, awareness and education, to evaluate work performance and hear any suggestions from the astronaut, and the astronauts at the station can communicate directly with the Earth in case The existence of urgent requirements, through direct contact between Al-Neyadi and Al-Mansouri, regarding the management of operations, while he communicates with his children and his family on a daily basis.
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