Watch: UAE cheers for astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi as liftoff is live-streamed in schools, offices

Watch: UAE cheers for astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi as liftoff is live-streamed in schools, offices

It was a historic moment and a source of pride not only for Emiratis but all other expats who call the country home

Published: Thu 2 Mar 2023, 2:40 PM Last updated: Thu 2 Mar 2023, 2:54 PM

As Sultan Al Neyadi blasted off to space in what will be the longest Arab mission in the cosmos, half a world away in Dubai and elsewhere across the UAE, schools and offices watched the broadcast of the launch live.

Some students of the Cambridge International School in Dubai watched the launch live in their classes.

“It was a historic moment and some of us wanted to watch the blast-off,” said Insiya Bahrainwala, a student of Grade 8 in the school. “So our teacher played the live link on YouTube. It was very cool to hear the countdown and watch the rocket blast off.”

Insiya and her friends counted down to the launch of the rocket along with the Nasa team, and celebrated when the rocket took off.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, was on the ground at the MBRSC as the rocket carrying AlNeyadi and his Crew-6 mates took off from Florida on Thursday morning.

The leader was seen smiling as