The first long-duration Arab space mission launched successfully.
Led by Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, the launch took place on Thursday, 2 March at 9.34am UAE time, at the Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Joining Sultan Al Neyadi, Crew-6 includes astronaut Stephen Bowen, Spacecraft Commander at NASA, astronaut Warren Hoburg, Pilot at NASA, and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, Mission Specialist at Roscosmos.
15 minutes after the successful launch, Sultan Al Neyadi, onboard the spacecraft thanked the leaders of the UAE, Space X, NASA, Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, his parents and his family for their support in preparing the team and working hard toward the successful launch. Sultan concluded and said, "Thank you once again, and talk to you from the ISS."
The Dragon spacecraft will dock at the International Space Station just over a day after taking off at 10.17am UAE on Friday, 3 March, making Sultan Al Neyadi the second Emirati astronaut in space.
After landing, the crew will be on a six-month-long mission, where they will carry out 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, witnessed the successful launch from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, took to Twitter to congratulate Sultan Al Neyadi on his successful mission to space.