Shane Kimbrough and K. Megan McArthur speak to Expo 2020 visitors on the ground.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

In conjunction with the convening of Space Week, astronauts Shane Kimbrough and K. Megan McArthur from the International Space Station sent a message to the world, through the international event Expo 2020 Dubai, stressing the need to achieve sustainability in living, conserving resources and recycling.

In his televised message, Kimbrough said, "As you imagine seeing Earth from space is an experience of distinct dimensions to a person's life, but our presence here is more than just enjoying these scenes from outer space."

He added, "Scientific experiments are the main focus on the International Space Station… we monitor energy and water cycles, ecosystem changes, geological hazards, population migration, climate change and response to natural disasters."

Kimbrough encouraged everyone to live like an astronaut and "think about how to reuse and recycle as much as they can, to work together to ensure we live sustainably now and in the future."

Recycling

Megan MacArthur said, "It's great that we're able to send this to you as we orbit the Earth from this lab at 5 miles per second."

"In the long missions that we do on the International Space Station, we have to recycle everything that is left to recycle, and reduce waste, for example, water, which is valuable, as we recycle it extensively, using a very small portion of what humans consume on Earth."

The Russian Multipurpose Laboratory Module Nauka (Science) being docked next to the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft on the International Space Station (ISS). AFP

"Out of the thousands of scientific experiments that benefit space exploration, one of the most important is how this privileged environment prompts us to assess how we can live sustainably with fewer resources," she said.

"We, all of us aboard the International Space Station, wish you the best during your conference," she added.

The Space Week at Expo 2020 Dubai will be held within the ten weeks of topics that fall within the framework of the “Man and Planet Earth” programme, with the wide participation of experts and specialists in space science, and the week’s activities are held in cooperation with the Emirates Space Agency and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center from October 17 to 23 to discuss the benefits, solutions and challenges of exploring beyond the Earth's orbit, and the opportunities for exploration and development of science related to understanding space.