United States: Emirati Astronaut Mr. Sulatan Al Neyadi has reached the Earth’s surface along with his three crew members in the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule off the Florida coast. Mr. Al Neyadi officially became the first Arab to successfully complete a long space mission, which spanned six months, after the splashdown.
UAE President Mr. Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has expressed his pride in Mr. Sultan Al Neyadi’s return to Earth.
“Sulatan Al Neyadi, the people of the UAE are immensely proud of you and the entire team for achieving major advances in space exploration. You carried the dreams of a nation to new frontiers, and we celebrate your pioneering journey and safe return,” Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
At 8:17 AM UAE time, the crew splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida. After an hour of landing, Mr. Al Neyadi showed up from the capsule. A team slid Mr. Neyadi from the Crew Dragon, assisted him to the wheelchair, and rolled him over to the medical bay. The Emirati astronaut were smiling and waving to the camera on the way.
Normally, astronauts returning to Earth often experience dizziness when standing up. It is called orthostatic hypotension. This occurs because gravity on the Earth is stronger than in space, and it is more difficult to deliver blood from the heart to the head. Mr. Al Neyadi will be in observation for a while.
The UAE Prime Minister, Mr. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, commented on the return of Mr. Al Neyadi, saying, “We congratulate the people of the Emirates and all Arab youth on the safe return of Sultan Al Neyadi to planet Earth – the first Arab astronaut on a long mission to the International Space Station. Sultan conducted 200 scientific research missions, spent more than 4,400 hours in space and inspired millions of Arab youth that we are able to contribute positively to humanity’s scientific and civilized march.”
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) team celebrated the return of Mr. Al Neyadi in the presence of Mr. Talal Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Vice President, MBRSC, Mr. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman, MBRSC, and Mr. Yousuf Hamad AlShaibani, Vice Chairman, MBRSC.