During his 6-month space mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), UAE astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi conducted over 200 advanced research experiments and studies, totaling 585 hours of collaborative work with 10 international space agencies and 25 esteemed universities, both in the UAE and globally. These experiments spanned a wide range of fields, including cardiovascular health, back pain, protein crystallization, epigenetics, immune system function, fluid dynamics, plant biology, human life sciences, material science, sleep analysis, and radiation exposure.
These experiments not only contributed significantly to the scientific community but also engaged researchers and students in the UAE and worldwide, making them an integral part of this historic mission.
Sultan AlNeyadi is set to return from the ISS on September 4, marking the completion of the longest Arab space mission in history. During this mission, he achieved several milestones, including being the first Arab to complete a 7-hour spacewalk. Additionally, he participated in 19 educational and community outreach events, known as the “A Call from Space” series, where over 10,000 people interacted with him through live video calls and ham radio sessions.
One notable experiment AlNeyadi conducted was the Protein Crystal Growth Experiment (PCG) on the Kibo module of the ISS, proposed by a research team from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in collaboration with Harvard Medical School.
His microgravity research covered various scientific investigations, such as cardiovascular health, plant biology, material science, fluid dynamics, and sleep analysis. AlNeyadi’s “Dreams” experiment monitored sleep patterns using the “dry-EEG” system, shedding light on sleep quality in the space station’s unique conditions, where astronauts witness 16 sunrises and sunsets each day.
Furthermore, AlNeyadi contributed to the “Cardinal Heart 2.0” study by Stanford University, exploring the effects of clinical drugs on heart cells in microgravity. He also participated in the Cardiobreath experiment, analyzing the impact of microgravity on cardiovascular and respiratory functions in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency, Simon Fraser University, and The University of North Dakota.
AlNeyadi’s mission included education outreach efforts to inspire future scientists and explorers, with MBRSC selecting two research projects from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU). Additionally, he participated in the host-pathogen experiment, studying the interaction between astronauts’ immunity and microbial pathogens on the ISS, which will provide insights into stress hormones and latent virus reactivation in astronauts’ immune systems.