UAE astronaut says not required to fast during Ramazan on space mission

HOUSTON: Emirati astronaut Sultan al-Neyadi said on Wednesday that he will not be required to fast during Ramazan while on his upcoming space mission.

The 41-year-old will become the first Arab astronaut to spend six months in space when he blasts off for the International Space Station (ISS) next month aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Neyadi, Nasa´s Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg and Russia´s Andrey Fedyaev are scheduled to fly to the ISS on February 26 as members of SpaceX Dragon Crew-6.

Asked at a press conference on Wednesday how he will observe the holy month of Ramazan, when Muslims typically fast from dawn to sunset, Neyadi said his situation falls under an exception.