First UAE astronaut among new team to join ISS crew

More crew members will soon be welcomed into the International Space Station (ISS) after they were launched aboard a Soyuz spacecraft in Baikonur, Kazakhstan on late Wednesday evening (PHL time).

The three-man team of space travelers is composed of Soyuz MS-15/61S commander Oleg Skripochka from Russia, NASA astronaut Jessica Meir, and Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, the first Emirati astronaut to fly into space.

Millions all over the world watched NASA’s live stream of the launch in awe and anticipation as the crew participated in pre-launch activities and eventually jetted off into space.

The expected travel time of the team from launch to docking is 5 hours and 48 minutes.

AlMansoori, 35, a former fighter jet pilot, will spend eight days aboard the station, becoming the first Arab to visit the giant scientific laboratory orbiting the Earth.

He plans to carry out a series of experiments, hold several live space-to-Earth sessions and host an Emirati food night wearing the traditional national clothing, the UAE authorities have said.

According to NASA, the three space travelers will be joining nine crew members already onboard the ISS.

Spaceflight Now reported that Almansoori will return to earth on October 3 along with Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and NASA astronaut Nick Hague.

Skripochka and Meir will return on April 1 with NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan. — with a report from Reuters/BAP, GMA News