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Sultan Al Neyadi Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 15, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth23 May 1981

Age42 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceAl Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

ProfessionUAE Armed Forces personnel, Astronaut

NationalityEmirati

Marital statusMarried

FamilySix children; father Saif Al Neyadi

Sultan Al Neyadi Biography

Emirati astronaut and UAE Armed Forces officer Sultan Saif Muftah Hamad Al Neyadi became the first Emirati to undertake a long-duration mission aboard the

Early life and background

Sultan Saif Muftah Hamad Al Neyadi was born on 23 May 1981 in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Raised in a Muslim family, he completed his early education at schools in the UAE before pursuing higher studies abroad. He earned a BSc (Hons.) in Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of Brighton in 2004 and later completed graduate studies at Griffith University in Australia, where he obtained a master’s degree in Information and Network Security and a PhD in Information Technology with research focused on data leakage prevention. While working on his doctorate he published several research papers.

Career

After returning to the UAE following his undergraduate studies, Al Neyadi joined the UAE Armed Forces and worked as a network security and communications engineer. In 2017 the UAE launched a program to establish an astronaut corps, and in September 2018 he was selected alongside another candidate for astronaut training at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre.

His formal astronaut training included instruction at Russia’s Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Star City and additional courses in the United States at NASA facilities. Training covered a wide range of spacecraft and space station operations, from dealing with onboard emergencies and life support issues to operating cameras and the ISS robotic arm. The program included more than 90 courses and over 1,400 hours of instruction. He also trained at NASA Johnson Space Center’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory to prepare for weightless operations and extravehicular activities.

Al Neyadi’s selection for a long-duration mission was announced by the UAE government on 25 July 2022. He was assigned as Mission Specialist 1 for Expedition 69 to the International Space Station, flying to the station on SpaceX Crew-6. He launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center on 2 March 2023 and arrived at the ISS on 3 March 2023.

During his stay on the ISS he and his crewmates conducted in excess of 250 experiments; Al Neyadi personally took part in more than 20 research activities. His work on board included experiments relevant to future lunar and deep-space missions, investigations into fluid dynamics and combustion in microgravity, studies of cardiac tissue rhythms, and developments in 3D bioprinting techniques. In April 2023 he became the first Emirati to perform a spacewalk, taking part in an approximately seven-hour extravehicular activity on the starboard side of the station.

Al Neyadi returned to Earth in September 2023 at the conclusion of his mission.

Public profile

Al Neyadi holds the rank of UAE Armed Forces personnel and is affiliated with the United Arab Emirates Space Agency and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. He is known for being the second astronaut from the UAE to travel to space, the first from his country to undertake a long-duration mission aboard the ISS, and the first Emirati to complete a spacewalk.

Outside of his professional work, he is trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and has competed in martial arts events in the UAE, including winning a medal at the Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour 2017–2018. He frequently shared images and videos of his training and workouts while on the ISS.

Latest updates

While aboard the ISS Al Neyadi actively shared updates and photographs on social media, posting images of Earth and reporting on station activities. His mission featured significant scientific contributions and public outreach, and he completed his stay on the station in September 2023.

Personal life

Sultan Al Neyadi is married and is the father of six children. His father, Saif Al Neyadi, served in the UAE Armed Forces. He is approximately 175 cm tall, with dark brown eyes and black hair. He lists reading among his hobbies and has expressed interest in promoting scientific research and exploration.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Sultan Al Neyadi, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Mission Specialist 1, Expedition 69 (SpaceX Crew-6)

Long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station, participated in over 20 experiments and performed a seven-hour spacewalk.

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Second astronaut from the UAE to travel to space
  2. First Emirati to undertake a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station
  3. First Emirati to perform a spacewalk
  4. Completed extensive astronaut training in Russia, the United States, and Canada
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Sultan Al Neyadi born?

Sultan Al Neyadi was born on 23 May 1981.

What is Sultan Al Neyadi known for?

Sultan Al Neyadi is known for uAE Armed Forces personnel, Astronaut.

What is Sultan Al Neyadi’s marital status?

Sultan Al Neyadi's marital status is listed as Married.