Great expectations

The UAE astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri, the first person from the United Arab Emirates in space, started his journey on Sept.25 on an MS-15 spacecraft to the International Space Station, where he will stay for eight days.

It is good to learn his everyday experience of a space journey (“Hazzaa holds experiments with fluid dynamics in space,” Sept29, Gulf Today).

On being asked about food, Hazzaa responded that there was no salt on certain foodstuffs of his liking. “Astronaut food is limited to a specific number of calories for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This number is calculated at the ground stations, and food is then sent accordingly to the ISS every two weeks. However, there is spare food in case of failure in arrival,” highlighted Al Mansoori.

As he said, “I’m filming everything on the ISS, and these videos will be uploaded on YouTube as well as other communication channels.”

He then spoke to MBRSC again at the end of the day. A live session via radio was organised between Al Mansoori and school students and the public, at MBRSC, where the audience had the opportunity to ask questions that were answered by Al Mansoori.

Sleeping while floating should be an unbelievable experience. Hazzaa explains his unusual sleeping position. In space, with the absence of gravity, everything is weightless. Hazzaa said, “Some astronauts enjoy sleeping with their bodies attached to a wall in ISS, others enjoy sleeping while floating. As for me, I enjoy sleeping while floating.”

Earlier, he received a video call from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on his second day aboard the ISS. This step confirms the constant support provided by the UAE’s wise leadership to UAE citizens wherever they are.

Hazzaa thanked the UAE’s wise leadership for their unlimited support to Emirati youth, stressing that he was proud to be the first Emirati to carry the UAE flag into space. He also expressed his ambitions that the experiences carried out by him and his colleagues would contribute to serving humanity.

Abu Ali
By email