Emirati astronaut gears up to make space history with first Arab spacewalk

UAE Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi is scheduled to make history tomorrow as the first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk on the International Space Station (ISS) during Expedition 69, Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) said today.

“It's the first Arab spacewalk in history, a new Emirati milestone that will mark the Arab space exploration journey. The live coverage will begin at 4:30 PM. The mission will start at 5:15 PM (UAE time),”

said MBRSC in its official twitter account.

On Friday, April 28, the UAE will become the 10th country to execute a spacewalk on the ISS, with Al Neyadi taking part in the 261st spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

The fourth spacewalk of the year on the ISS will be historic, as Al Neyadi and Nasa Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen collaborate to complete critical duties.

"Tomorrow, Steve Bowen and I will do a spacewalk outside the ISS to change the Radio Frequency Group unit and prepare for the installation of solar panels. After a long period of training, we are ready to take on the challenge and create a new milestone for our mission,"

tweeted Al Neyadi from ISS.

News Source: Emirates News Agency