Dubai: Sultan AlNeyadi is preparing to make history as the first Arab astronaut to embark on a spacewalk during Expedition 69 of the International Space Station (ISS).
This momentous event is scheduled to take place on 28th April 2023, with the UAE becoming the 10th country to perform a spacewalk on the ISS. Mr. AlNeyadi will be part of the 261st spacewalk, playing a crucial role in the assembly, maintenance, and upgrades of the space station. Keep watching for updates on this groundbreaking achievement.
The fourth spacewalk of this year on the ISS will be a momentous occasion as Mr. AlNeyadi and NASA Flight Engineer Mr. Stephen Bowen work together to carry out essential tasks. The highly anticipated EVA is projected to last approximately 6.5 hours. One of the primary objectives of the EVA will be to retrieve a crucial Radio Frequency Group (RFG) unit, which is an integral component of the S-Band communications string on the ISS. This essential piece of communications equipment will be returned to Earth on a SpaceX flight.
Can you spot me? 👀
From my favourite place on the ISS – the Cupola. It is from here that we monitor Earth on a daily basis 📸 🌍 pic.twitter.com/myHIwSyNvT— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) April 20, 2023
In addition to the primary task, Mr. AlNeyadi and his team will be working on a series of preparatory tasks related to the solar array installation EVAs planned for later in the mission. The solar arrays play a pivotal role in powering the ISS, providing clean and renewable energy to support the various experiments, systems, and daily operations on board.
Live coverage of the event will be available on the MBRSC website starting at 4:30 PM UAE time, with the spacewalk set to begin at 5:15 PM UAE time.
The UAE Astronaut Program is one of the projects managed by MBRSC under the UAE’s National Space Programme and funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country’s integration on the global stage.