UAE astronaut sends back key research sample from space – News

Sultan AlNeyadi has been conducting science experiments on the International Space Station

Sultan AlNeyadi and his team have made a significant contribution to scientific research by ensuring the safe return of critical research samples from the International Space Station (ISS).

This was announced today by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC).

The unmanned Dragon spacecraft carrying about 1,950 kilograms of valuable science experiments and other cargo back to Earth crashed off the coast of Tampa, Florida, US, on Sunday as part of its 27th cargo resupply mission.

The spacecraft plays a vital role in providing missions to the International Space Station and successfully returning science experiments to Earth along with other cargo, a major milestone in space exploration.

AlNeyadi arrived at the station on March 3 for a six-month mission and has been conducting science experiments at the orbiting laboratory ever since. He completed the deposit of key research samples with his Expedition 69 crew, which included NASA flight engineers Stephen Bowen, Woody Holberg and Frank Rubio.

He also visited the Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer (MELFI) on the International Space Station, which can go as low as -100°C, to preserve some samples before sending them to Earth, and was involved in sending The used station hardware is loaded into the Space Station Dragon spacecraft.

Some of the scientific research back on Earth includes tomato harvesting in space, studying the growth, nutritional value and microbial safety of dwarf tomatoes grown in miniature greenhouses aboard the International Space Station, which could improve food systems and horticultural therapies on Earth.

It also involves growing higher quality crystals. This requires testing in space a method of growing crystals of the silicon-germanium (SiGe) semiconductor, with potential applications in solar cells and electronics.

Monitoring arterial changes in astronauts to identify cardiovascular risk and provide insights for preventing and treating atherosclerosis on Earth is another study conducted by Al Neyadi. In addition, investigating combustion and combustibility in microgravity to improve fire safety for future space missions and improving combustion models for terrestrial applications are also part of the investigation.

AlNeyadi also activated the Dragon’s monitoring tools and software and closed the spacecraft’s hatch before it left the International Space Station. After splashdown off the coast of Florida, the Dragon cargo carrying the experiments was transported to NASA’s space station processing facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, allowing researchers to collect data with minimal exposure of the samples to Earth’s gravity. The completed research and discarded lab equipment will now be sent to scientists and engineers around the world for analysis.