Communication between the ISS and Mission Control was disrupted for an hour and a half (Picture: Reuters)

Astronauts on the International Space Station were unable to talk to Nasa for 90 minutes after a power outage cut off communications earlier today.

Mission Control in Houston could not send commands to the seven people currently in orbit, or hear back from them.

Space station programme manager Joel Montalbano said back-up systems took over control within an hour and a half.

He added that neither the crew nor the station were in danger over that period.

The astronauts were notified of the problem via Russian communication channels less than 20 minutes after the outage happened.

Houston’s Johnson Space Center is currently undergoing upgrade work, though it is unconfirmed whether this caused the power cut.

A back-up control centre is operated by Nasa miles outside the Texas city in case a hurricane or other disaster was to strike and knock out communication with the ISS.

However, Mr Montalbano said this was the first time the space agency has had to fire up the back-up systems.

First Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi sent greetings on Eid earlier this year (Picture: Sultan Al Neyadi/Reuters)

He said they hoped to resolve the issue and resume normal operations by the end of the day.

The crew of seven currently on the International Space Station include three Americans, three Russians and one of the first two astronauts from the United Arab Emirates.

Sultan Al Neyadi, a graduate of the University of Brighton, arrived in space for the first time in March and became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk on April 28.

A more unusual name might be doing the same in the near future, if certain plans from Hollywood pan out: earlier this month, Tom Cruise reiterated his desire to become the first civilian to do a spacewalk as part of an upcoming movie.

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Nasa had to fire up their back-up communications system for the first time ever.