The second Emirati to journey into space, martial arts fanatic Sultan AlNeyadi, weighed up Thursday performing Ramadan in orbit—and promised to pack his jiu-jitsu go well with for the trip.
AlNeyadi, 41, dubbed the “Sultan of Area” by his alma mater, will blast off on February 26 for the Worldwide Area Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
Throughout his six months in orbit—a report time for any Arab astronaut—AlNeyadi mentioned he want to observe the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims usually quick from daybreak to sundown.
However space journey presents distinctive challenges.
“The ISS travels shortly… which means it orbits across the Earth in 90 minutes,” he advised reporters in Dubai.
“On common, there are 16 sunrises and sunsets each day… When do you (begin and) break your quick?”
AlNeyadi mentioned he may quick based on GMT time, which is used on the ISS, if circumstances permit.
Fasting is just not obligatory for sure teams of individuals, together with those that are touring or unwell.
“I’ll put together for the month of Ramadan with the intention to quick,” AlNeyadi mentioned.
He’ll turn into the second man from the rich United Arab Emirates to go to space, after Hazzaa al-Mansoori’s eight-day mission in 2019.
Through the voyage, AlNeyadi will examine the impacts of microgravity on the human body in preparation for future missions to the Moon and Mars, he mentioned.
Six months “could seem to be a very long time, however I do not thoughts as a result of the schedule is packed”.
It has already been a protracted journey for AlNeyadi, who served 20 years within the UAE navy.
He additionally studied electronics and communications engineering in Britain, after which accomplished a Ph.D. in information leakage prevention expertise at Griffith College in Australia.
The UAE is a newcomer to the world of space exploration however shortly making its mark.
It despatched an unmanned spacecraft to Mars in 2021, within the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission, and final 12 months a rover to the Moon.
AlNeyadi mentioned he was “completely satisfied” to embark on the mission and would take alongside “footage of my household, possibly some toys that belong to my youngsters”.
“I will even take my jiu-jitsu uniform due to my love for the game,” he added.
Requested whether or not he would do any low-gravity grappling whereas floating across the ISS, he laughed: “We’ll see the way it goes.”
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UAE ‘Sultan of Area’ grapples with Ramadan quick on ISS (2023, February 2)
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