Emirates launches interview with astronaut live from space

Emirates ice, and the award-winning inflight entertainment system will feature a live interview with UAE astronaut Dr Sultan AlNeyadi, chatting about his ‘inflight experience’ in space - as he floats 400 kilometres above Earth.

The interview will be live on the Emirates World Channel from 1 September 2023, the same day the esteemed astronaut will begin his journey home to Earth, having completed a six-month science mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The journey home from space is expected to take up to 16 hours, just one hour shorter than Emirates' longest flight duration – 17 hours from Auckland to Dubai. The interview for Emirates ice was conducted from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) Mission Control Centre, via NASA in Houston, through a space to ground communication link.

Interviewed by Emirates SVP of IFE & Connectivity - Patrick Brannelly, the discussion will include Dr AlNeyadi  describing his inflight meals, how he stays connected to family and the entertainment available onboard the spacecraft, with Patrick drawing parallels with the Emirates experience. At an ISS altitude of 400 kilometres and an orbital speed of 28,000 kilometres per hour, the live footage is interspersed with Dr AlNeyadi enjoying his coffee in microgravity, conducting experiments, and strapping in for his daily workout where he overlooks spectacular views of planet Earth and takes in the weather conditions at a glance.