Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre announces successful launch of 'Zayed Ambition 2'
UAE President: The participation of Emiratis in the space mission is a qualitative step towards achieving our vision for future generations
Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi and the crew spend 180 days aboard the International Space Station, during which he conducts 19 scientific experiments. From the source
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The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre announced yesterday the successful launch of the "Zayed Ambition 2" mission by Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi to the International Space Station, which is the longest space mission in the history of the Arabs.
The mission crew launched inside SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, where they spend about 24 hours in orbit around Earth before docking with the International Space Station.
On the occasion of this achievement, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, stressed that participating in this mission is an important aspect of the UAE's vision to enhance its contribution to future sciences.
His Highness said that "the participation of the people of the UAE in this space mission is a qualitative and influential step in order to achieve our vision for future generations, and to enhance its presence as a key partner in shaping the future."
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan added that the UAE has an ambitious national strategy aimed at developing its cadres and qualifying them strongly, to be at the forefront of the scientific exploration process. His Highness stressed in a tweet on Twitter: "A new start for the ambition of the UAE is carried by its son Sultan Al Neyadi in the second Emirati mission to the International Space Station. I pray to God for him success and a safe return to his family and country. We are proud of him and others like him from the UAE youth who work to raise the flag of the nation and enhance its contributions to the service of humanity."
For his part, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, stressed that the country's ambition in the field of space would leave a strong imprint worthy of the name of the UAE. We are keen to consolidate our presence in this promising sector and leave a strong imprint worthy of the name of the UAE."
His Highness pointed out that the ambition of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, was a source of inspiration for the people of the UAE to continue to excel.
His Highness said that «Zayed's ambition inspired us. And he drew for us the features of the road we are walking so that we will always be at the forefront. Now, with Zayed's ambition, we are participating in the longest space mission in Arab history."
His Highness stressed in a tweet on «Twitter»: «The son of the UAE, Sultan Al Neyadi, hedging by God's care and providence, launched into space today to be the first Arab astronaut on a long-term mission that takes six months to the International Space Station. The sons of the UAE are pride and pride. The sons of the UAE raise our heads in the world. They are charting for Arab youth a path full of hope and knowledge."
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, said in a tweet on Twitter: "Congratulations to the UAE. Congratulations to our people. Congratulations to all Arabs. Thanks to God, we embarked on a new mission in our journey towards embracing space and achieving the impossible. Our prayers to the son of the Emirates Sultan Al Neyadi for success." His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, said in a tweet on Twitter: "We congratulate Their Highnesses the President and Vice President of the UAE on the launch of the UAE Sultan Al Neyadi to the International Space Station. Al Neyadi is the son of the UAE, which elevates the vision of its leaders and the determination of its youth. This historic journey will remain a beacon for Emiratis to achieve leadership in probing space and its enormous possibilities, and from Zayed's ambition we set out for the future."
The second mission of the United Arab Emirates to send Emirati astronauts to the International Space Station was launched from Complex No. 39A at Cape Canaveral Space Base at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the launch took place yesterday at 9:34 am UAE time, and the flight will arrive to the International Space Station on Friday at 10.17 am aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, belonging to SpaceX.
After successfully carrying the crew's Crew Dragon capsule into low orbit, the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth.
Mission «Crew–6»
Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will be the mission specialist, along with astronaut Stephen Bowen, commander of the mission, from NASA, astronaut Warren Hoberg, commander of the vehicle, and astronaut Andrey Vidyev, mission specialist, from Roscosmos.
The mission will be part of Mission 6968 to the International Space Station.
The concept of an expedition to the ISS refers to crews on board the station to conduct experiments and scientific research, and these expeditions can include two to seven astronauts, and can last up to six months. These flights are numbered in a sequence that gradually increases as the number of flights increases in the future.
Mission 68 is currently aboard the International Space Station and consists of American astronauts from NASA: Francisco Rubio, Josh Casada and Nicole Mann, as well as astronaut Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and astronauts from Roscosmos: Dmitry Petlin, Sergey Prokobyev, and Anna Kikina.
Scientific research and experiments
Crew-6 astronauts will conduct several scientific experiments, some of which include new scientific research to prepare for human missions beyond low Earth orbit, and then benefit from their results in various life sciences on Earth.
The experiments the crew will conduct include studies on how certain materials burn in microgravity, tissue chip research on heart, brain and cartilage function, and an investigation that will collect microbial samples from outside the space station.
According to NASA, these experiments are a specific group of more than 200 scientific experiments and technical demonstrations that will be conducted during the mission, and mission 68/69 includes work on the installation of the final parts of "iRosa", which are solar panels that are installed on the International Space Station, in addition to conducting scientific experiments and research.
During the mission, Sultan Al Neyadi will conduct 19 scientific experiments, in cooperation with NASA, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, the National Center for Space Studies in France, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), covering a range of areas, most notably the cardiovascular system, back pain, testing and experimenting with technologies, epigenetics, the immune system, fluid science, plants, materials, in addition to the study of sleep and radiation.
The mission will also include an educational and awareness program to inspire the next generation of scientists and researchers, as the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre has selected two research projects from Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, the first of which will focus on assessing the impact of the microgravity environment in space on the interaction between the heart and body posture.
The second project will study the cells of the mouth and teeth on Earth in an environment that simulates microgravity. A number of students and researchers will participate in the two projects to ensure capacity development and qualify a new generation of scientists.
Community Initiative
To further connect with the UAE community and future generations, MBRSC has collaborated with the Emirates Literature Foundation to build a knowledge-based programme. As part of this partnership, both parties launched ELF in Space, an educational initiative that seeks to promote the uptake of learning in the community.
During the six months that astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will spend on the International Space Station, the Emirates Literature Foundation will collaborate with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre to broadcast weekly episodes of interviews, information and facts, competitions and various activities.
The seminars will provide an opportunity for students in the UAE to ask their questions to astronaut Sultan.
The center aims to reach 20,<> students and children through the initiative, to benefit from the results of the UAE space mission.
Next steps
The spaceX Dragon spacecraft performs a series of orbital maneuvers, monitored by the crew and control center to guide it to the space-facing port of the Harmony module on the International Space Station.
The spacecraft's orbit will then gradually rise through a series of maneuvers, completing docking with the station within minutes. Although the docking process is automatic, the team can perform it manually if necessary. Following the successful docking with the International Space Station, the astronauts of Mission 68 will hold a welcome ceremony to welcome the crew of Crew 6.
As for the crew of the Crew 5 mission, they will return to Earth again a few days after the arrival of the crew 6, and are expected to land off the coast of Florida.
While on the International Space Station, the crew 6 will be able to witness the arrival of cargo spacecraft, including the SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle and Progress, and will have the opportunity to welcome the astronauts of the Axiom 2 mission and the crew of the Boeing orbital flight test mission.The Zayed 2 Ambition mission is part of the UAE Astronaut Program managed by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, and is one of the projects funded by the The ICT Fund, part of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), aims to support research and development in the ICT sector.
Mohammed bin Zayed:
"The UAE adopts a clear national strategy to develop its scientific cadres and prepare young people to contribute to the process of scientific exploration to serve humanity."
Mohammed bin Rashid:
"Zayed's ambition inspired us. And he drew for us the features of the road we are walking so that we will always be at the forefront. Now, with Zayed's ambition, we are participating in the longest space mission in Arab history."
Hamdan bin Mohammed:
"We embarked on a new mission in our journey towards embracing space and achieving the impossible."
Maktoum bin Mohammed:
"The historic journey will remain a beacon for Emiratis to achieve leadership in space probing and its enormous possibilities."
.. Things that remind family and friends
The Director of the Remote Sensing Department at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, Eng. Saeed Al Mansoori, revealed that the communication between astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi on board the International Space Station with the center will be through the ground station at the center.
He told Emirates Today that the Sultan Al Neyadi mission is part of the UAE Centennial 2071, which seeks to build a human settlement on the surface of the planet Mars, as this mission placed the UAE in 11th place globally and the first from outside the International Station to send astronauts to the station.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre broadcast a video of a NASA official talking during the mission's live broadcast about the highlights of astronauts. A NASA spokesman said: "The mission crew can take some items with them into space for a full six months, especially since it is a long time, so they should take with them something that reminds them of Earth, whether family or friends."
"There are examples of some of the items that the crew will take, some of them took Komodo dragons or some jiu-jitsu equipment, others took a small model of a space rocket, and one crew member wished to take accurate pictures of it during its journey in space."
NASA's live broadcast of the Sultan Al Neyadi mission and the crew-6 crew to the International Space Station revealed details of the mission's logo.
He explained that there are three distinctive signs in the logo for each member of the crew, noting that with a closer look we will find the wooden dragon with the dragon's head on top because each member of this crew has unlimited vision.
He pointed out that looking up you will see the spacecraft swimming in space, and finally the logo that bears the number 3, which represents the following elements: Earth, Moon and Mars, this is the scientific principle of NASA.