UAE astronaut jokes that he 'didn't intend to come home this soon'

Sultan Al Neyadi says crew took the launch delay in their stride

UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, right, ready for launch with his crewmates, from left, Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev and Nasa's Warren Hoburg and Stephen Bowen on February 27

Nasa has called off today's launch a few minutes before lift-off, due to an issue with a chemical that ignites the rocket engine. Reuters

Dr Al Neyadi gives the thumbs up before the launch. Reuters

The engineering staff seal the cabin door before launch

Dr Al Neyadi enters the cabin

Dr Al Neyadi signs the wall before entering the cockpit

Dr Al Neyadi points at the UAE flag on his shoulder as he walks towards the shuttle

United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan al-Neyadi waves after leaving the Operations and Checkout building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-A, late Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. The four-person crew is scheduled to liftoff early Monday on a trip to the International Space Station. (AP Photo / John Raoux)

Dr Al Neyadi, right, with his crewmates, from left, Mr Fedyaev, Mr Hoburg and Mr Bowen. EPA

Mr Bowen waves before the drive to the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. AFP

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard on the launch pad. EPA

Nasa's vehicle assembly building. EPA

Sultan Al Neyadi joked that he promised his children he would be home from space soon — but not the same day he was due for lift-off.

The Emirati astronaut said the Crew-6 team took Monday's postponement — which saw the six-month mission to the International Space Station called off with less than three minutes to go — in their stride.

"I promised my kids to return soon and I didn’t mean this soon!" he wrote on Twitter.

"Anyway, our crew is safe and our spirits are high. A launch scrub is one of the things that we are trained to do, as crew safety is always a priority."

The Crew-6 astronauts sat in the Dragon capsule for several hours while the Falcon 9 rocket that carries it was emptied of fuel to allow for a safe exit.

The mission is provisionally scheduled for 9.34am UAE time on Thursday, pending a probe into the fault that affected Monday's take-off.