Sultan Al Neyadi to begin journey back to Earth today

The history-making astronaut is due to splash down off Florida on Monday morning at the earliest

Lift-off from Nasa's Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, early on March 2, 2023. AFP

The crew-6 board the Dragon spacecraft to take them to the International Space Station. Photo: Nasa screengrab

Sultan Al Neyadi's first A Call with Space video chat with the public, held at Dubai Opera on March 21. Pawan Singh / The National

Dr Al Neyadi captured an image of his hometown of Umm Ghafa in Al Ain on April 12. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X

This photo from space shows The Palm Jumeirah, Jebel Ali Industrial area and residential areas in Dubai. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X

Dr Al Neyadi on March 4, a day after arriving on the ISS. Photo: MBRSC

Dr Al Neyadi takes a selfie from inside the ISS. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X

The eye of Cyclone Biparjoy in footage captured by the UAE astronaut on June 13. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi

Holding small tomatoes grown on the ISS. Photo: Nasa

Dr Al Neyadi in front of the ISS cupola on March 14. Photo: Nasa

The astronaut captured a massive sandstorm sweeping across the Sahara on March 30. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi

On April 28 he became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X

He captured a stunning image of the Eye of Sahara - a geological structure made up of ancient rocks - from the ISS on May 4. Sultan Al Neyadi / X

Speaking to students at UAE University in Al Ain on a live call from the ISS on May 23. Ryan Lim / The National

An image of the UAE and Oman taken by the Emirati astronaut on May 24. Photo: Sultan Al Neyadi / X

Sultan Al Neyadi called Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, from the ISS on July 3. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will finally begin his journey to Earth on Sunday - after his stay in space was extended by bad weather back home.

Nasa has given Dr Al Neyadi and his crewmates the green light to undock from the International Space Station at 3.05pm, UAE time.

They will depart aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule to begin their 15-hour journey home, with a splashdown off the coast of Florida at 8.17am on Monday.

"The Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, will undock, depart the space station, and return important and time-sensitive research to Earth," Nasa said on Saturday.

"The spacecraft will splash down at one of seven targeted landing zones in the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida."

The undocking was delayed from September 2 because of unsuitable weather.

Dr Al Neyadi's return on Monday will bring to a close a historic six-month mission aboard the station.

He will share the trip home with three Crew-6 colleagues, Nasa astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

Dr Al Neyadi arrived on the ISS on March 3, following in the footsteps of the country's first man in space, Hazza Al Mansouri.

He participated in the Arab world's first long-duration space mission. He is the first Arab to perform a spacewalk.

Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre announced the timings of his return trip on Thursday.

The UAE public can watch Dr Al Neyadi's voyage live through the MBRSC website, at www.mbrsc.ae/live.

Al Neyadi returns to Earth

Sunday, September 3

Live coverage of undocking procedure, with undocking scheduled for 3.05pm.

Monday, September 4

Live coverage of splashdown, no earlier than 8.07am.

Dr Al Neyadi spent his time on the station conducting more than 200 science investigations and outreach activities.

He will spend his first few days back on Earth undergoing medical tests in the US, before returning to the UAE to attend celebrations.

He will then travel back to the US for more mission debriefing.

Once he is in the UAE for a more extended stay, he will participate in nationwide roadshows to share his experiences.

'I gained a new family'

The father-of-six from Al Ain paid tribute to his crew mates on Thursday as he prepared for an emotional homecoming.

He spoke of the close bonds he had developed with his fellow astronauts during his months in space, saying he had “gained a new family”.

“We began the mission as crewmates, but now we're brothers,” Dr Al Neyadi wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

“Over the last six months, I gained a new family – with whom I shared expertise, traditions, and cultures, and experienced beautiful and challenging moments while creating unforgettable memories together.”

The astronaut has sought to enlighten and entertain during his milestone mission.

Dr Al Neyadi has compiled a collection of snapshots of Earth after boarding the ISS.

His photography includes images of an active volcano in the Philippines as well as wildfires raging across Southern Europe and a cyclone as it gathered strength in the Arabian Sea.

He has also shared a wide variety of images of the UAE, including his hometown of Umm Ghafa in Al Ain.

The traveller has taken part in a number of live calls with school pupils from the ISS, offering unique insights into life in space.

He also used his social media accounts to educate the public on his daily activities.

During one recent live call from space, Dr Al Neyadi told how he had gained a new appreciation for the natural wonders of Earth.

“Oxygen on Earth is free. Sunlight and everything are taken for granted, but on the ISS we have to continuously recycle these resources, so the new definition I have after coming here is that we have to preserve the environment,” he said.

Dr Al Neyadi was scheduled to leave the ISS on Friday.

The return trip was delayed to help Nasa and SpaceX adjust their flight schedules.

Crew-7, who will be the next space team to reside on the ISS, had their launch pushed back by a day, causing the schedule to be changed.