Al Neyadi interviews Jumeirah College Dubai students live from space

More than 1000,<> students from Jumeirah College Dubai, part of GEMS Education, have reached out to Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who shared his experience in the world of space through a radio broadcast from the International Space Station orbiting the Earth.

Al Neyadi answered all students' questions, and talked about his inspiration to become an astronaut, how he prepared for his current mission, the type of work he does while on the space station, and the feeling he feels about reaching space.

Asked how he could compare his preparations to his actual experience of entering space, Al Neyadi said: "We are training on models that simulate what is inside the capsule [rocket]. That's besides getting training to try G-load as well. But being in space is completely different, there is a constant sense of weightlessness and gravity. "I wish everyone could experience that, but unfortunately as far as I know, the closest you can get to launching a rocket is to try the high-speed roller coaster."

Robert Kesterton, Principal of Jumeirah College Dubai, said: "As a proud teacher in the UAE, we are extremely fortunate to have successfully provided our students with the opportunity to speak with Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi. I am confident that he has inspired the students and this one-of-a-kind experience will further enrich their aspirations and ambitions, and we are honored that he has agreed to take questions and connect with our students as he undertakes this historic mission."

This amazing opportunity to speak and interact with the Emirati astronaut was made possible by the efforts of the school's science teacher, Christopher Greenfield, who connected with the International Space Station (ARIS) amateur radio program (ARIS), an organization dedicated to connecting school students with astronauts aboard the space station.

Greenfield, who began his career teaching at NASA's International Space School in Houston, Texas and has already participated in seven previous ARISS events in twenty years, said: "Students are attracted and fascinated

Exploring space, this opportunity has inspired our students to ask motivational and inspiring questions. I applied to ARES in March 2022 and I sought to do so, knowing that this would be a great event that would add a unique dimension to our students' regular lessons and learning outcomes."

The students expressed their great admiration for Al Neyadi's mission from the beginning, as they sent him multiple messages wishing him success in his mission, and actively followed the developments before and during the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 spacecraft.

Yusra Khan, a 7-year-old student at Jumeirah College Dubai, said: "I've always been interested in space and it was great to know that if I sent a question, it would be read and talked about in space. So, I submitted a few questions and one was chosen. I asked astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi about some of the scarier things he faced because I don't know what's going on in space."