Saudi Space Squad Spotlights Stellar Mix of Male, Female Mission Specialists
Saudi Arabia will send its first female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, and a male astronaut, Ali AlQarni, to the International Space Station (ISS) during the second quarter of 2023. The two astronauts will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission, which is Axiom Space’s second all-private astronaut mission to the ISS.
“The step aims to empower Saudi capabilities in human spaceflight geared towards serving humanity and benefiting from the promising opportunities offered by the space industry”, the Saudi Press Agency said.
The Saudi Human Spaceflight Program, launched by the Saudi Space Commission (SSC), is a collaboration with Axiom Space to train Saudi astronauts and bolster SSC’s space exploration. The program also aims to increase graduates’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and to nurture innovation in space sciences.
The Saudi Human Spaceflight Program includes the training of two more astronauts, Mariam Fardous and Ali AlGamdi, on all mission requirements.
The upcoming space mission is historic as it will make Saudi Arabia one of the few countries in the world to bring two astronauts of the same nationality aboard the ISS simultaneously. SSC CEO Mohammed Al-Tamimi expressed gratitude to the Saudi leadership for supporting the commission, which has allowed the kingdom to make significant strides in the space sector.
Saudi Prince Sultan bin Salman, the first chairman of the Saudi Space Commission, holds the distinction of being the first Arab, Muslim, and royal to fly into space. He flew aboard the American STS-51-G Space Shuttle mission as a payload specialist in 1985.
