Al Neyadi and the crew of Expedition 69 of the International Space Station send research samples back to Earth

Today, the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center announced that astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi and members of the 69th mission crew aboard the International Space Station sent important research samples to Earth via the “Dragon” cargo spacecraft, before returning from the mission to supply the International Space Station with the necessary supplies and goods, which It started on the 27th of March.

The spacecraft carried nearly 1,950 kg of valuable scientific experiments and other cargo to Earth, as it landed off the coast of Tampa, Florida in the United States, yesterday, Sunday, at 12:58 am UAE time.

Al-Neyadi, who participated in conducting these scientific experiments with members of the 69th expedition crew aboard the International Space Station, completed storing important research samples with astronauts Stephen Bowen, Warren Hoburg, and Frank Rubio. Al-Neyadi also worked on the eighty-degree laboratory refrigeration device (MELFI). On the International Space Station, which is used to store experimental samples at a temperature as low as -100 degrees Celsius before sending them to Earth, he also participated in loading the station’s equipment into the Dragon spacecraft.

Some of the science experiments that have been returned to Earth include:

Preserving samples of tomato fruits: It is part of a study that Al Neyadi worked on on securing food sustainably in space (Veg-05 Space Agricultural Experiment).

Developing high-quality crystals: Testing a crystal-growth method for semiconductors made of silicon and germanium (SiGe) in space, with potential applications in solar cells and electronics.

Analysis of arterial aging: observation of arterial changes in astronauts; To identify cardiovascular risks, and provide insight into the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis on the ground.

Fire safety: study of combustion and flammability in a microgravity environment; To enhance fire safety for future space missions, and to improve combustion models for terrestrial applications.

Al-Neyadi also activated the Dragon spacecraft’s monitoring tools and programs, and closed the entrance to the spacecraft before it separated from the International Space Station.

After the craft landed off the coast of Florida, the cargo carrying the experiments was transferred to NASA’s space station processing facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, allowing researchers to collect data, while maintaining minimal exposure of the sample to Earth’s gravity. The research and lab equipment will now be sent to scientists and engineers around the world for analysis.