UAE astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri is scheduled to spend eight days aboard the International Space Station from September 25 to Friday, October 4.
Al-Mansouri, who will carry the slogan "The ambition of Zayed," will carry with him to the International Space Station 10 kilograms of belongings, including: a copy of the Koran with a picture of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, and a book of my story of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, family photos, souvenirs and 30 seeds of Ghaf tree.
Special "Halal" meals were prepared for Al Mansoori, which includes traditional Emirati cuisine such as Mudarubah, Balalit and Saloona. They were prepared in the form of tins and paste in tubes with special specifications and methods that suit the spacecraft's life conditions.
Al Mansouri is the first astronaut from the Arab region to participate in research on the International Space Station, which will contribute significantly to enrich human knowledge and come up with a database that can be shared with various local and international bodies, which in turn will open new horizons in the global scientific community. The UAE will also become the 19th country to contribute to scientific research through data to be presented by Hazza Al Mansouri and linked to the human body and life.