Last May, the United Arab Emirates announced a space mission to the asteroid belt, which is a huge project extending over several years, and will lead to the establishment of many private science and technology companies in the Emirates. The project aims to explore seven asteroids and train Emirati youth to manage deep space missions. The spacecraft will fly at speeds of up to 33,000 kilometers per hour on a seven-year journey to explore six asteroids and attempt a landing on a seventh “red” asteroid, which scientists hope will constitute an important source of information about the emergence of life on Earth.
This happy news is however not the only one on the list of the UAE’s space achievements this year. A few days ago, Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi returned to Earth in a SpaceX capsule, after spending six months aboard the International Space Station, in what is considered the longest space mission by an Arab astronaut. Note that Al Neyadi is also the first person from the Middle East to perform a space walk outside the International Space Station.
Al Neyadi, 42, was born in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He is a military engineer and father of six children. He has been welcomed as a national hero in the United Arab Emirates since his return to Earth, after spending 186 days in space as part of NASA’s Crew 6 mission, which was launched last March.
This achievement contributes to keeping the spotlight on the UAE’s space superiority in the Middle East. Thanks to its leadership’s strategic investment in this sector, including training the necessary human resources to eliminate the need for foreign help, the United Arab Emirates will not be late in occupying a prominent position in the club of countries with space programs.