Emirati astronauts Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri begin tour of UAE schools

New Minister of State for Youth Affairs is confident future generations will continue his journey

Minister of State for Youth Dr Sultan Al Neyadi, right, and fellow Emirati astronaut Maj Hazza Al Mansoori meet school pupils to talk about their missions in space. All photos: @Astro_Alneyadi / X

The Emirates' space pioneers receive a heroes' welcome from pupils. More UAE space missions are planned

Dr Al Neyadi spent six months on the International Space Station last year, after Maj Al Mansoori was there for eight days in 2019

The UAE's pioneering astronauts are now encouraging the next generation of Emiratis to reach for the stars

Emirati astronauts Dr Sultan Al Neyadi and Hazza Al Mansouri started a tour of schools across the UAE this week.

Dr Al Neyadi, who was recently appointed Minister of State for Youth Affairs, made the announcement on social media platform X on Thursday.

"The ambitions of our students are truly inspiring!" he said.

"This week, I started a tour of UAE schools with Hazza Al Mansouri.

"We engaged with students in discussions about our missions and the space sector.

"I am confident that they will continue our journey and reach further destinations."

He shared pictures of pupils meeting both himself and Mr Al Mansouri.

Al Kamal American International School - Al Azra, in Sharjah, was among the schools to feature on the tour. A source told The National the astronauts would be visiting "random" schools across the country.

It was only last month Dr Al Neyadi was named as Minister of State for Youth Affairs in a UAE Cabinet reshuffle.

That came after he returned last year from a six-month mission on the International Space Station (ISS).

He was part the Expedition 69 mission, which ended on September 3.

On the ISS he took part in more than 200 experiments assigned by Nasa and universities in the UAE.

It was the UAE’s second human space flight and the Arab world’s first extended mission – as well as the first time an Arab astronaut had performed a spacewalk.

The first Emirati in space was Hazza Al Mansouri who is accompanying Dr Al Neyadi on the school tour.

Mr Al Mansouri made history when he spent eight days on board the ISS in September 2019.

Both astronauts were received by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, in a special ceremony to mark their achievements in November.

The event took place at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi.