The space industry is growing exponentially, with breakthrough aerospace discoveries being made, a booming space economy being established, and humanity's next big adventure becoming a reality. After the US-Soviet space race dominated space exploration, 77 government space agencies, with more than 600 astronauts, cosmonauts, and taikonauts, have gone beyond Earth's orbit, paving the way for new players. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Space Commission, has also made significant investments in the industry, training its astronauts, and investing in groundbreaking microgravity experiments.
The Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) is an example of the significant investments in the space industry, with two Saudi astronauts, Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Alqarni, set to embark on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on 8th May 2023. Peggy Whitson and John P. Shoffner will join them on the SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket aboard a Dragon spacecraft, which will provide human spaceflight services to the ISS.
Two Saudi astronauts will embark on a historic private mission to ISS on May 8. This will include the first Arab woman to travel to space.@alysonle tells you more
— WION (@WIONews) April 7, 2023
Watch more: https://t.co/AXC5qRuO3J pic.twitter.com/CVHAT4EWpX
During the mission, the Saudi Space Commission, in partnership with Axiom Space, plans to capitalize on the microgravity environment to conduct 11 groundbreaking microgravity experiments. Additionally, the commission has designed three experiments to engage over 12,000 students across 47 different locations in Saudi Arabia, hoping to ignite curiosity in the country's future astronauts and scientists. This outreach effort is expected to enlighten students and plant the seed of curiosity in every child in Saudi Arabia, leading to an increase in scientific innovation and a push for more space exploration.
To prepare for the mission, the crew members have undergone rigorous training to prepare them for the challenges they will face in space. This training includes learning about astronomics, ISS systems, and other systems required for the mission. The crew members have dedicated themselves to the mission and are excited to embark on this journey to space, which marks a significant milestone for Saudi Arabia in the space industry.
In Saudi Arabia, the space industry is growing rapidly, and the kingdom is taking advantage of this growth by investing heavily in its space program. The Ax-2 mission is just the beginning of what is expected to be a long-term investment in space exploration and research. With the success of this mission, Saudi Arabia is poised to become a significant player in the space industry and an inspiration to other countries looking to invest in this growing industry.
