Emirati astronaut Al Neyadi speaks of joy after receiving Nasa golden pin in space
Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi has spoken of his pride at receiving the Nasa seal of approval for his work in space.
Dr Al Neyadi was presented with the space agency’s golden astronaut pin by his crewmates on board the International Space Station.
The electronics engineer from Al Ain has spent more than one month on board the orbiting laboratory.
The six-month mission posting is the Arab world’s first long-duration space mission.
“It is a great honour for me to be part of this historic mission, representing my country, the UAE, and to receive Nasa’s golden astronaut pin,” Dr Al Neyadi wrote on Twitter.
“I will wear this pin as a symbol of the commitment I made when I started on this journey.”
Nasa has given out the pins for decades, to honour those joining the ranks of elite astronauts.
Dr Al Neyadi is to carry out more than 200 experiments and research work assigned to him by Nasa and UAE universities. His time in space has already proven fruitful.
He spent his first week becoming accustomed to the station’s microgravity and then harvesting tomatoes grown for his scientific work and the crew’s consumption.
Dr Al Neyadi has been studying human heart tissue as part of research that could help scientists on Earth devise therapy and medications to prevent heart disease. He is also the test subject of another experiment that will help researchers study astronauts’ sleep quality in space.
He has shared many of his experiences with his 60,000 followers on Twitter and has also taken part in video calls with school pupils in the UAE to help cultivate a love of space travel among youths.