Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi completes sleep experiment on ISS

The outcomes of the experiment will add to the collection of hypnic and neuroscience data on the ISS

by Gulf Business

July 17, 2023

Image courtesy: WAM

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) said Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has completed the Dreams experiment on the International Space Station (ISS), a pivotal study in sleep science and space research, according to news agency WAM.

The experiment was conducted in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), French space agency CNES and Toulouse University Hospital.

The study employs the innovative DRY-EEG (electroencephalography) system to monitor the sleep patterns of astronauts in the microgravity environment on the space station.

Sunset, then sunrise, then sunset…

Every day, we witness 16 sunrises and sunsets aboard the ISS. Sharing with you this time-lapse video, captured from an altitude of around 400 km above Earth.?

Can you guess some of the countries that appear in the video? ? pic.twitter.com/Qtd6hVpqr9

— Sultan AlNeyadi (@Astro_Alneyadi) July 15, 2023

Al Neyadi wore a specially designed sleep headband equipped with an electroencephalogram sensor. The device captures a range of sleep-related data, such as sleep cycle durations and heart rate variations.

“This project, in partnership with ESA, CNES and Toulouse University Hospital, symbolises a crucial step forward in our understanding of the human body’s adaptability in space,” said Adnan AlRais, mission manager of the UAE Astronaut Programme.

“The knowledge we gain here is instrumental to the success of future long-duration space missions, including trips to the Moon and Mars. We are incredibly proud of the contributions made by the UAE towards the international space community.”

Al Neyadi’s Dreams experiment

The impact of space travel on the circadian rhythms of astronauts is a crucial area of investigation for the Dreams experiment. The unique conditions aboard the ISS, where astronauts witness 16 sunrises and sunsets each day, disrupt the natural day-night cycle, significantly affecting sleep patterns.

The study is intended to deliver key insights that will assist in planning and developing cognitive therapies for astronauts to improve sleep quality and overall health during extended space missions.

“In addition to being a cutting-edge scientific laboratory, the ISS is also a place for international cooperation,” said Sébastien Barde, associate director for Exploration and Human Spaceflight.

“For ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s Alpha mission [in 2021], the Dream experiment was developed and monitored by CADMOS [part of the French government space agency CNES] as part of the French contribution. CNES is delighted that this experiment is being continued with astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi. Science knows no frontiers, as this example clearly illustrates.”

The outcomes of this experiment will add to the collection of hypnic and neuroscience data on the ISS, which will be studied by the scientific community. The experiment exemplifies MBRSC’s commitment to advancing the understanding of the challenges and complexities of human space exploration.

The UAE Astronaut Programme is one of the projects managed by MBRSC under the UAE’s National Space Programme. Funded by the ICT Fund of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), it aims to support research and development in the ICT sector in the UAE and raise the country’s profile on the global stage.