Saudi Arabia has announced to send its first female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, along with a male astronaut, Ali AlQarni, to the International Space Station (ISS) in the second quarter of 2023, SPA reported.
The mission is also historic as it will make Saudi Arabia one of the few countries in the world that brings two astronauts of the same nationality aboard the International Space Station simultaneously.
The aim is to enhance national capacity for human spaceflight, serving humanity, harnessing potential opportunities in the space sector, and contributing to scientific exploration in areas such as health, sustainability and space technology.
The astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission.
The spaceflight is scheduled to launch from the United States to the International Space Station.
Additionally, the Saudi Human Spaceflight Programme includes the training of two more astronauts Mariam Fardous and Ali AlGamdi on all mission requirements.
Saudi space mission 2023
This programme aims to boost scientific innovation in space sciences, enabling independent research to benefit the industry and the country. It also aims to increase STEM graduates’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and attract skilled talent to develop human capital.
Additionally, Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Tamimi, the CEO of the Saudi Space Commission, expressed his gratitude to the leadership for the support and empowerment to the commission, which has diminished the obstacles and challenges and enabled major leaps of the Kingdom into the space sector.
Human spaceflight is a symbol of countries’ superiority and global competitiveness in many fields such as technology, engineering, research, and innovation.
Axiom Space
The Saudi Space Commission also states that this programme comes in cooperation with a group of entities, led by the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Sport, the General Authority of Civil Aviation and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, in addition to international partners such as Axiom Space, which specializes in human spaceflights and the development of space infrastructure in the USA.
It is also to be noted that the Saudi Space Commission had previously launched the Saudi Human Spaceflight Programme.
This flight is an integral milestone of a comprehensive program aiming to train and qualify experienced Saudis to undertake human spaceflight, conduct scientific experiments, participate in international research, and future space-related missions contributing to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The UAE’s astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will take off for a six-month stay on International Space Station on February 26, 2023.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
