Emirati Astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has successfully returned to Earth at 8.17am, UAE time, after spending 6-months on board the International Space Station (ISS). The UAE astronaut is back after completing the historic space mission and became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk. The Crew-6 splashed down safely on the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, after spending 186 days in space.
Elon Musk, SpaceX founder, welcomed Crew-6 back to Earth after the Dragon capsule splashed down off the coast of Florida. Crew-6 includes UAE's Sultan Al Neyadi, two Nasa astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut. With this, Sultan Al Neyadi becomes the first Arab to spend six months aboard ISS. He will be greeted by his brothers, wife, father and a ‘big group of people’ later at the Ellington airport in Houston, US.
The father of six from Al Ain, Sultan Al Neyadi, conducted over 200 scientific experiments and outreach activities during his time in space. He also launched a new children's book written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, from orbit on 1 September 1. Sultan Al Neyadi posted a video on social media announcing the release of the book 'The Journey From the Desert to the Stars.'
And now, upon arrival, he will spend the first few days undergoing medical tests in the US, adjust to the gravity and then head back to the UAE for celebrations. Stay tuned, for all the upcoming updates.