Watch live: Sultan Al Neyadi becomes first Arab astronaut to perform a spacewalk

Sultan Al Neyadi is all set to create history today by becoming the first Arab astronaut to undertake a spacewalk during Expedition 69 on the International Space Station (ISS).

The UAE will become the 10th country to perform a spacewalk on the ISS, while Al Neyadi will be part of the 261st spacewalk in support of assembly, maintenance and upgrades on the space station.

The extravehicular activity (EVA) is projected to last approximately 6.5 hours.

The fourth spacewalk of this year on the ISS will be a momentous occasion as Al Neyadi and NASA flight engineer Stephen Bowen work together to carry out essential tasks.

One of the primary objectives of the EVA will be to retrieve a crucial Radio Frequency Group unit, which is an integral component of the S-Band communications string on the ISS. This essential piece of communications equipment will be returned to Earth on a SpaceX flight.

Live coverage of the event will be available starting at 4:30pm UAE time, with the spacewalk set to begin at 5:15pm UAE time.

 

The UAE Astronaut Programme 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.

Read: UAE’s Sultan Al Neyadi arrives at ISS to begin six-month space mission