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TOPSHOT - International Space Station (ISS) crew members UAE astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri (C), Roscosmos Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka (bottom) and NASA's US astronaut Jessica Meir (top) board the Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft before its blasts off for the ISS, on September 25, 2019 at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. / AFP / POOL / Maxim SHIPENKOV
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U.S. astronaut Nick Hague (R), Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin (C) and United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori, sit in chairs shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan, on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on October 3, 2019 and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
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Specialists turn a Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule after the landing about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A Soyuz space capsule with U.S. astronaut Nick Hague, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, returning from a mission to the International Space Station landed safely on Thursday on the steppes of Kazakhstan. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool)
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Russian Space Agency rescue team members and United Arab Emirates specialists carry United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
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In this image released by NASA, Russian Search and Rescue teams arrive at the Soyuz MS-12 spacecraft shortly after it landed with Expedition 60 crew members about 150kms (90 miles) southeast of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan, on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NASA / Bill INGALLS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS / AFP / NASA / Bill INGALLS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NASA / Bill INGALLS" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
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NASA specialists carry US astronaut Nick Hague shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
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United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori reacts shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
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United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori reacts shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
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Russian space agency rescue team members carry Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km ( 80 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A Soyuz space capsule with U.S. astronaut Nick Hague, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, returning from a mission to the International Space Station landed safely on Thursday on the steppes of Kazakhstan. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool)
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Rescue vehicles and helicopters approach the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule landing about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A Soyuz space capsule with U.S. astronaut Nick Hague, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, returning from a mission to the International Space Station landed safely on Thursday on the steppes of Kazakhstan. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool)
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Members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS) (from L) United Arab Emirates' astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori , Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and US astronaut Jessica Meir report to Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin (R) arrive to board a Soyuz rocket to the ISS, at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 25, 2019. / AFP / VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO
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The Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule lands about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. A Soyuz space capsule with U.S. astronaut Nick Hague, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa Ali Almansoori, returning from a mission to the International Space Station landed safely on Thursday on the steppes of Kazakhstan. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool)
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United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori gives the thumbs-up shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
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United Arab Emirates' astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori raises his fist from a bus before boarding a Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 25, 2019. / AFP / VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO
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Russian Space Agency rescue team members and United Arab Emirates specialists carry United Arab Emirates astronaut Hazzaa al-Mansoori shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
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Russian Space Agency rescue team members carry Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin shortly after the landing of the Russian Soyuz MS-12 space capsule about 150 km (90 miles) south-east of the Kazakh town of Dzhezkazgan on October 3, 2019. A three-man crew including an Emirati who became the first Arab to reach the International Space Station returned to Earth safely on Thursday and were in good shape, the Russian space agency Roscosmos said. / AFP / POOL / Dmitri Lovetsky
Updated 03 October 2019
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Hazza Al-Mansoori returns to Earth after historic UAE space mission

Hazza Al-Mansoori returns to Earth after historic UAE space mission

The United Arab Emirates’ first astronaut, Hazza Al-Mansoori, touched down on Earth on Thursday after spending eight days in space.
Al-Mansoori, who was the first Emirati and Arab to dock on the International Space Station (ISS), entered the Soyuz MS-12 crew ship with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin early on Thursday to prepare for their trip back to Earth.