Al Neyadi's space odyssey is a milestone moment for a nation whose ambitions know no limits, says Sheikh Hamdan

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said on the X platform, “Driven by Zayed's vision, the UAE has embarked on a remarkable journey from desert to space.

Today, we celebrate Sultan Al Neyadi's return to earth after the longest Arab space mission ever — a milestone moment for a nation whose ambitions know no limits. As we look towards new adventures in space, the UAE continues to pursue its vision for a brighter Arab future. We are proud of Sultan's 200 experiments on the ISS, which further consolidate our nation's legacy in the global space arena.”

The four astronauts returned to Earth early on Monday after a six-month stay at the International Space Station.

Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Atlantic off the Florida coast.

Returning were NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody” Hoburg, Russia's Andrei Fedyaev and the United Arab Emirates' Sultan al-Neyadi, t he first person from the Arab world to spend an extended time in orbit.

Before departing the space station, they said they were craving hot showers, steaming cups of coffee and the ocean air since arriving in March. Their homecoming was delayed a day because of poor weather at the splashdown locations.