News

Sultan Al Neyadi Becomes The First Ever Arab To Spacewalk

The astronaut is on a 6-month mission aboard the International Space Station, orbiting 400 km above Earth.

Published

1 year ago

May 2, 2023

Nour Nasir

sultan al neyadi becomes the first ever arab to spacewalk

SpaceX

At 17:41 GST on April 28, Sultan Al Neyadi entered the record books as the first Arab to walk in space. Al Neyadi, who arrived at the International Space Station on March 3 as part of a six-month mission, conducted a 6.5-hour spacewalk with American astronaut Stephen Bowen to carry out maintenance tasks and prepare for a solar array installation.

بعد ٣ سنوات من التدريب المكثف .. رأينا اليوم سلطان النيادي في أول مهمة للسير في الفضاء الخارجي.. وتنفيذ مهمات لتركيب أجزاء جديدة وإجراء صيانة في محطة الفضاء الدولية .. أول إماراتي .. أول عربي .. أول مسلم .. يسير في الفضاء الخارجي .. فخورين بذلك .
يقولون بأن ثلثي نجوم السماء… pic.twitter.com/acxJvVGNDy

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 28, 2023

UAE President and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid, was quick to tweet about Al Neyadi’s achievement: “With this week’s discoveries by the Hope probe, the achievements of the Rashid rover mission, and Sultan Al Neyadi’s first-ever spacewalk by an Arab astronaut, the UAE continues to make a meaningful contribution to space exploration and advancements in science”.

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Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid noted that the astronaut was both the first Arab and first Muslim to walk in space before tweeting some inspiring words to his followers: “Arabs are capable… Arabs are coming… Arabs are creative if we decide to focus on science and invest in youth”.

News

NASA Forms New Partnership With Saudi Space Agency

The pair will collaborate on the Center for Space Futures, advancing space tech by bringing together public and private stakeholders.

Published

18 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Nour Nasir

Saudi Space Agency

Saudi Arabia’s space industry is on the brink of substantial expansion after generating $400 million in revenue in 2022, according to a report by the Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission.

Now, in a new venture with NASA, plans for a “Center for Space Futures” are set to further drive the Kingdom’s aspirations of becoming a leading player in space exploration and technology.

Capturing moments from the joint delegation visit with leaders from the Saudi and American Space Agencies @NASA to @PSU_RUH, along with scenes showcasing the audience's engagement. pic.twitter.com/oB1cFTiRNl

— وكالة الفضاء السعودية (@saudispace) May 14, 2024

The partnership between NASA and Saudi Arabia goes beyond economic advantages. The pair have already cooperated on preliminary work for the Artemis II lunar mission, which is slated for a September 2025 launch and aims to land astronauts near the moon’s South Pole.

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During a visit to the capital, Riyadh, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized in a TV interview the broader objectives of the collaboration, which encompass “returning to the moon and then [to] Mars” while utilizing space exploration to glean important insights into climate change. The NASA spokesman also reiterated the space agency’s dedication to collaborating with Saudi Arabia on other future ventures.