Saudi Arabia reaches space with first Arab woman on board
The AX-2 space mission launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday. The crew consists of two Saudi astronauts, scientist Rayyanah Barnawi and fighter pilot Ali AlQarni, along with Americans John Shoffner and Peggy Whitson. It is indeed a milestone in the history of women, as the first Arab female astronaut travels to the International Space Station (ISS).
This private mission of Saudi Arabia is part of the Vision 2030 plan whose air and space industry are part of its goals. In 2022, the Saudi Space Commission (SCC) announced the dispatch of astronauts for the first time since 1985, when Sultan bin Salman al Saud was sent to conduct experiments "to serve humanity", with flights to be launched in 2023.
The SCC was tasked with confirming that the astronauts' nine-month training had been completed and they were qualified for the mission. Ali AlQarni and Rayyanah Barnawi spent 12 days in a space simulator conducting research experiments similar to those they will carry out in the ISS, while simulating penetration of the Earth's atmosphere and the pull of gravity on the body, among other things. They have also been briefed on all the skills needed to complete the mission with Axiom Space and SpaceX at the National Space Research and Training Centre (NASTAR).
On Monday, the AX-2 mission successfully docked with the ISS and will soon proceed to join the current seven-member crew already in space, including three Russians, three Americans and UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi. For their part, the Emiratis have already sent an astronaut into space a few years ago and four nationals, including a woman, are currently training with NASA for missions in 2023.
For ten days, pioneering scientific experiments will be conducted in microgravity, specifically on the impact of space on human health and on rain seeding technology to increase rainfall in many countries. Also in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, they will run live educational experiments with more than 10,000 students, seeking to promote future generations' interest in space science. This collaboration is also part of the Saudi Space Commission's Astronaut Programme which aims to "train experienced Saudi professionals to participate in short- and long-term spaceflight, as well as in scientific experiments, international research and future space-related missions".
Saudi Arabia also aims to position itself in the space sector as a major state in the global community in space research and investment. The Saudis are designing a National Space Strategy, which has yet to see the light of day since its announcement in 2022, that seeks to boost existing space science and will showcase the programmes and initiatives they have in mind to carve out a 'niche' in space.
