Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently received the Saudi astronauts set to embark on the Kingdom’s scientific mission to the International Space Station. Ali Al-Qarni, Rayyanah Barnawi, Ali Al-Ghamdi, and Mariam Firdous will take part in the AX-2 space mission, Axiom Space's second all-private astronaut mission to the ISS in May.
Barnawi, in particular, has made history, as she will become the first Muslim, Saudi, and Arab woman to travel to space. During the meeting, the Crown Prince praised the astronauts' representation of the capabilities and aspirations of the Saudi people. He noted that they will contribute to innovations and space research that will find sustainable solutions for the good of humanity.
As ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, the astronauts will represent the Kingdom on the ISS, a mission that seeks to empower people, protect the planet, and open new horizons through research. Barnawi and Al-Qarni expressed their readiness for this historic mission and looked forward to leaving a mark in the field of space exploration and enriching scientific experiments that serve humanity.
Assisting the two astronauts from the ground station are Firdous and Al-Ghamdi. The four-member crew will travel to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule and spend ten days aboard the orbiting space station. The launch is scheduled for 10:43 p.m. ET on May 8 (05:43 a.m. KSA) from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz was the first Saudi to travel to space when he took part in a US-organized space voyage in 1985. His participation marked an important moment in Saudi history and paved the way for future space explorations by Saudi Arabian astronauts.
The upcoming AX-2 space mission marks an exciting milestone for Saudi Arabia as they continue to make strides in the field of space exploration. The Saudi astronauts set to embark on this journey represent the capabilities and aspirations of the Saudi people, and their mission seeks to find sustainable solutions for the good of humanity. As they embark on this historic mission, they hope to inspire future generations of Saudis to reach for the stars.
