“Sultan Al Neyadi’s Historic Spacewalk and Preparations for Solar Panels Installation”

Amna Al Ketbi (Dubai)

Sultan Al Neyadi, the Emirati astronaut, accompanied by his American colleague Stephen Bowen, succeeded in changing the RFG unit of radio frequencies, which is part of the S-Band communication system of the International Space Station, in preparation for returning it to Earth, during the completion of his historic mission, spacewalk, Outside the International Space Station, which lasted for 7 hours and a minute, as part of the missions of Mission 69.
Where the main objectives of this mission are to work on a series of preparatory tasks for the installation of solar panels, and the installation of these panels during a subsequent mission in next June, as these preparations made it easier for the astronauts to work during the next mission, and the solar panels play a pivotal role in the operation of the International Space Station, and provide clean, renewable energy to support the day-to-day experiences, systems and operations on board.
Spacewalks, also known as extravehicular activity (EVA), are essential to maintaining and developing the capabilities of the International Space Station, and allow astronauts to perform various tasks, such as maintaining and repairing ISS primary systems, installing new technology hardware, and assembling And the rebuilding of the station units, and spacewalks indicate the importance of international cooperation aboard the International Space Station, where astronauts from different countries cooperate, exchange knowledge, and different resources.
Only qualified astronauts are selected to perform this task, as this process is not only physically challenging, due to the pressure suits worn by astronauts, but also requires great mental capabilities, as astronauts must combine focus on the tasks they perform , and to keep them safe, as well as interact with the crew on board the station, and the Mission Control Center team on the ground.
Neutral Buoyancy Lab
Sultan Al Neyadi underwent intensive training for more than 55 hours at NASA’s neutral buoyancy laboratory at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in preparation for spacewalk missions. During his time in the neutral buoyancy laboratory, Al Neyadi underwent 9 training rounds, Each one lasted about 6 hours, as he practiced simulating an underwater spacewalk using the full model of the International Space Station. The spacewalk mission, which is the fifth this year outside the International Space Station, is of great importance, as astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, along with NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen, performed a number of basic tasks.