The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to make history in space once again, as Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi prepares to undertake the first-ever spacewalk by an Arab astronaut on April 28. This mission will mark the UAE’s debut in Extravehicular Activity (EVA) outside the International Space Station (ISS), making it the 10th country to undertake such an activity. AlNeyadi will be joined by NASA Flight Engineer Stephen Bowen, and the spacewalk is expected to last more than six hours.
During a spacewalk, astronauts wear spacesuits that contain oxygen and water, which they put on several hours before the actual activity. They exit the spacecraft through an airlock and use safety tethers to stay connected to the spacecraft and avoid floating away into space. AlNeyadi’s primary objective during his EVA will be to retrieve a crucial Radio Frequency Group (RFG) unit, an integral component of the ISS’s S-Band communications string, which will be returned to Earth on a SpaceX flight.
The spacewalk will also involve a series of preparatory tasks related to the solar array installation EVAs that are planned for later in the mission. The solar arrays play a crucial role in powering the ISS, providing clean and renewable energy to support various experiments, systems, and daily operations on board. Spacewalks are vital for maintaining, upgrading, and enhancing the ISS’s capabilities, including the maintenance and repair of essential systems, installation of new technology and hardware, and assembly and construction of the ISS modules.
The selection process for astronauts to undertake spacewalks is rigorous, based on their skills, experience, and adaptability to the challenging space environment. Astronauts must demonstrate exceptional proficiency in various fields, such as engineering, robotics, and life support systems, as well as excellent physical fitness and mental resilience.
AlNeyadi underwent more than 55 hours of training at Nasa’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas, to prepare for his spacewalk. He underwent nine runs of six hours each, training underwater, simulating spacewalks utilising the full mock-up of the ISS. Given the high risks associated with spacewalks, only select astronauts who are qualified get the chance to perform a critical task. The EVA process is physically and mentally demanding, and astronauts have to focus on their safety, the work they are doing, and a vast number of potential tools and interact with the crew and team at mission control.
AlNeyadi’s EVA is another significant milestone for the UAE National Space Programme, symbolising the country’s commitment to space exploration and development. It highlights the UAE’s growing capabilities in the field of space science and technology and its contributions to international cooperation and knowledge-sharing.
