UAE astronaut Sultan Al-Neyadi, the first Arab astronaut deployed on a long-term space mission, is scheduled to return to Earth on September 1 after spending six months aboard the International Space Station.
Al-Neyadi, together with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, were part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 that lifted off on March 2, 2023 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The crew conducted more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations during their stay at the space station.
A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft – named Endeavour – that is docked at the orbiting outpost will return the four to Earth after undocking no earlier than Sept. 1, splashing down off the coast of Florida.
“During the mission, the crew contributed to hundreds of experiments and technology demonstrations, including student robotic challenges, plant genetics, and human health in microgravity to prepare for exploration beyond low Earth orbit and to benefit life on Earth,” NASA said in a statement.
“Crew-6 is the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Regular commercial crew rotation missions enable NASA to continue the important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the station.
“Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future human exploration through the agency’s Artemis missions, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future expeditions to Mars,” it added.