UAE Astronaut Shares Stunning Image of Makkah from Space

Makkah – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who is currently on a six-month space mission on the International Space Station (ISS), shared a stunning image of Makkah from Space during the Arafat Day. 

"Today is Arafat Day, a pivotal day during Hajj, that reminds us that faith is not just about belief, but also action and reflection. May it inspire us all to strive for compassion, humility and unity," he wrote through his account Twitter on Friday. 

The Day of Arafat sees millions of pilgrims gather on and around Mount Arafat, near Makkah in Saudi Arabia, to perform prayers.

Meanwhile In April, this UAE Astronaut had shared a video clip showing night views of Makkah and Madinah from the ISS at an altitude of 400 km above the earth, on the occasion of the holy night of Laylat al-Qadr.

Al Neyadi is not the first astronaut to be in space during Ramadan. The first Muslim to go into space was Prince Sultan bin Salman Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia, who launched on the STS-51G space shuttle mission as the holy month ended on June 17, 1985.

During his time in space, Al Neyadi plans to conduct 19 experiments covering matters such as radiation, sleep, back pain and material science, according to an overview provided by the Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Center, which manages the United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronaut program.