Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has arrived at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida ahead of his historic flight to the International Space Station.
The original Sunday launch was pushed back by one day and will now take place on Monday, February 27, at 10.45am GST.
An event took place on Tuesday at a landing strip near the launch site, where Dr Al Neyadi and his three Crew-6 crewmates disembarked from a Nasa plane that brought them over from Houston, Texas, where they had been training for the mission.
The National was on-site to document the event and is going to be providing insider access throughout the week before the launch.
Dr Al Neyadi, 42, is set to embark on a six-month mission to the orbiting science laboratory, the first Arab to go on a long-duration space mission and the fourth Arab in space.
During the ceremony, he spoke about his excitement about being only days away from taking off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
“It's actually a privilege,” said Dr Al Neyadi, who will be carrying out 19 science experiments assigned to him by several UAE universities.
“I can't believe that this is really happening and you only realise that when you fly by the launch pad where you see the preparations.
“It's becoming real. So, we can't thank enough everybody that helped and prepared us for this mission.
“I think we are ready physically, mentally and technically. And we can't wait to launch to space and conduct the mission.”
Years of training come to fruition
Dr Al Neyadi is heading to space with two Nasa astronauts, Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Only Commander Bowen is an experienced astronaut, having logged more than 40 days in space, including seven spacewalks.
Dr Al Neyadi was the first of two astronauts that the UAE selected in 2018.
His colleague Hazza Al Mansouri became the first Emirati in space in 2019.
Both have been training since then around the world, including in Russia, parts of Europe, Canada and Japan, and have completed Nasa's basic astronaut training programme.
Commander Bowen said that he was “impressed” with the qualities of the Emirati astronauts.
“I met Sultan and Hazza at Star City when I was training in a Soyuz,” he said.
“I've always been impressed with the individuals and the culture they bring to it as well.”
Sharing Emirati culture
Dr Al Neyadi said he was looking forward to sharing Emirati cuisines with his colleagues on the space station.
He has not revealed the items on the menu yet, but did say he was taking dates with him.
“In terms of the food, I can only probably say dates. I love dates,” he said.
“Hopefully I'm going to share the dates with everybody, especially in Ramadan.
“This is a request from the commander and I can't say no to my commander.”
What will they do until launch day?
Now that the crew are in Florida, they will spend their remaining time before the launch in quarantine.
They will also carry out a rehearsal for launch day, called “dress day”.
The crew will wear their SpaceX pressure suits, ride to the launch pad in Teslas and then board an unfuelled rocket.
What's on launch day?
The National will be on-site when the astronauts leave their quarantine quarters on launch day.
They will say goodbye to their families one last time before heading to the launch pad.
The lift-off will take place at pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre.
It will be streamed live by Nasa, SpaceX and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.
Launch delayed by a day
The launch was meant to happen on February 26, but that has slipped by a day to February 27, 10.45am GST.
SpaceX said during a flight readiness review press conference that they needed the extra time for launch preparations.
The Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon Crew Capsule on top will be rolled out to the launch pad on Wednesday.
A static fire test - a ground test where the engines of the rocket are fired - will be carried out on Friday.
There are other back-up launch dates on February 28, March 2, 3 and 4.
There is a 10 per cent chance of rain on February 27 and 28.
Sultan Al Neyadi in his SpaceX astronaut suit — in pictures
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
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What are the regulations?
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The biog
Most memorable achievement: Leading my first city-wide charity campaign in Toronto holds a special place in my heart. It was for Amnesty International’s Stop Violence Against Women program and showed me the power of how communities can come together in the smallest ways to have such wide impact.
Favourite film: Childhood favourite would be Disney’s Jungle Book and classic favourite Gone With The Wind.
Favourite book: To Kill A Mockingbird for a timeless story on justice and courage and Harry Potters for my love of all things magical.
Favourite quote: “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
Favourite food: Dim sum
Favourite place to travel to: Anywhere with natural beauty, wildlife and awe-inspiring sunsets.
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LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 12’) Liverpool 1 (Minamino 73’)
Arsenal win 5-4 on penalties
Man of the Match: Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Arsenal)
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
