DUBAI, 2nd March, 2023 (WAM) — The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) has successfully launched the “Zayed Ambition 2” mission, led by astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi to the International Space Station (ISS).
The mission is the longest Arab space mission in history. Inside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, the space farers will spend around 24 hours in orbit lapping the Earth, before docking with the ISS on the third of March at 10:17 AM.
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan noted that the participation in this mission reflects the country’s vision and directions in strengthen its contributions to future sciences.
He said, “The participation of Emiratis in this mission is seen as a step closer towards achieving our vision of ensuring a better future for generations and strengthen their participation in building the future.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed highlighted the national strategy the UAE adopts to develop its scientific manpower and prepare young Emiratis to contribute in scientific research to serve humanity.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, affirmed that the ambitions of the UAE in the space sector are a clear reflection of its vision of shaping the future. He said, “Our ambition in exploring space sciences is limitless, and we are keen to strengthening our position in this promising sector.”
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid affirmed the UAE’s keenness to complement the ambitions of the late founding father Sheikh Zayed. “We are always inspired by the ambitions of our founding father… This can be seen most clearly today by our participation in ‘Zayed Ambition 2’, the longest Arab space mission in history.”
The UAE’s second endeavour to send Emirati astronauts for space exploration took off from Launch Complex 39A at Cape Canaveral at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 09:34 GST on Thursday (expected to arrive to ISS on March 3rd at 10:17 GST), launching on top of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. After successfully boosting the Crew Dragon carrying the astronauts into low Earth orbit, the Falcon 9 then turned back towards Earth.
Crew-6 Mission
Sultan Al Neyadi, undertaking the UAE Astronaut Mission 2, is the Mission Specialist of the Crew-6 mission, along with NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen (Spacecraft Commander) and Warren Hoburg (Pilot), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev (Mission Specialist). Crew-6 is part of Expedition 68/69 to ISS.
An expedition to the ISS refers to the crew that is occupying the space station and using it for research and testing. These expeditions can comprise between two and seven crew members and may last up to six months. They are sequentially numbered, starting from one and increasing with each subsequent expedition.
Currently, the Expedition 68 crew onboard the International Space Station consists of NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Dmitri Petelin, Sergey Prokopyev and Anna Kikina.
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman, MBRSC, said, “As we venture into the depths of space, we carry with us the hopes and dreams of our nation, and the determination to make history. Today, we celebrate not just the successful launch of the longest Arab space mission in history, but the realisation of a vision that will inspire generations to come. We are highly grateful of our wise leadership whose constant support is a source of strength and inspiration for the team to constantly take on new challenges. Our mission through these scientific endeavours is to keep the UAE flag flying high and be at the forefront of countries contributing to scientific achievements.”
Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director-General, MBRSC said, “With the successful launch of the UAE’s second manned space mission and the longest Arab space mission in history, we have proven that our aspirations and the will to achieve them are limitless. Congratulations to Sultan Al Neyadi and the entire team behind the mission, who have worked tirelessly to make this historic moment a reality. We are looking forward to the 180 days on board the International Space Station."
Scientific experiments and research
Crew-6 will carry out new and innovative scientific research aimed at preparing for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and benefiting life on Earth. There will also be 13 live calls and 10 ham radio interactions, and sessions for the community outreach programme with Emirates Literature Foundation, which will be allocated throughout the six months.
The experiments include the study of materials burning in microgravity, tissue chip research on heart, brain, cartilage functions, and an investigation to collect microbial samples from the exterior of the space station. According to NASA, these are a mere sampling of over 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations slated for the mission. Expedition 68/69 will also potentially continue to install the final pieces of iROSA, the roll-out solar arrays on the International Space Station.
During the mission, Sultan Al Neyadi will collaborate with NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) to conduct 19 scientific studies across a wide range of topics. These topics will include cardiovascular and immune system health, back pain, technical demonstrations, epigenetics, fluid science, plant biology, material science, sleep analysis, and radiation.
In addition to the scientific research, the mission will also incorporate educational outreach efforts designed to inspire and engage the next generation of scientists and explorers. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) is currently funding two research projects from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), both of which will be included in the Crew-6 mission. The first project will assess how the microgravity environment of spaceflight affects cardio-postural interactions, while the second will investigate dental/oral cells in a simulated microgravity environment on Earth. These projects will engage students and researchers, enabling the development and qualification of future generations of scientists.
Community initiative
With an aim to further connect with the community and the future generation of the UAE, MBRSC has also partnered with the Emirates Literature Foundation to build a knowledge-based programme. Under the partnership, the entities launched ELF in Space – a fun and educational initiative that seeks to foster a learning drive in the community.
During the six months that astronaut Sultan will be spending on the ISS, the Emirate Literature Foundation will collaborate with MBRSC to produce a weekly broadcast filled with interviews, engaging facts, competitions, activities, and opportunities for all students in the UAE to ask the astronaut questions. The Centre aims to reach 20,000 students and children through the initiative, which is set to become a landmark in interactive education, bringing the groundbreaking and exciting work of the UAE's space mission to life.
Upcoming stages
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will now execute a series of automatic manoeuvers, monitored by both the crew and the mission control centre, to guide the spacecraft to the space-facing port of the Harmony module at the ISS. Subsequently, the spacecraft's orbit will be gradually raised through a sequence of manoeuvers, positioning it for rendezvous and docking with the space station within minutes. While designed for autonomous docking, the crew can manually pilot the spacecraft, if required.
Following docking, the crew of Expedition 68/69 will welcome Crew-6 into the space station. Crew-5, which precedes Crew-6, will undock and splash down off the coast of Florida, several days after Crew-6's arrival.
While aboard the International Space Station, Crew-6 will witness the arrival of cargo spacecraft, including the SpaceX Dragon and Roscosmos Progress, and they will also have the opportunity to welcome the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts and the Axiom Mission-2 crew during their expedition.
The ‘Zayed Ambition 2’ Mission is a part of the UAE Astronaut Programme, which is one of the projects managed by MBRSC under the UAE’s National Space Programme and funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), which aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and promote the country’s integration on the global stage.