- Asgardia.Space
VIVA – Saudi Arabia will send its first-ever woman astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi to International Space Station (ISS) by the second quarter of 2023.
This sending aims to enhance national capabilities in spaceflight geared towards serving humanity and capitalizing on the promising opportunities offered by the space industry. In addition, sending astronauts is also a form of contribution to scientific research in many aspects, such as health, sustainability, and space technology.
The astronauts, Rayyanah Barnawi & Ali AlQarni will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission. The space flight will be scheduled from the United States to the International Space Station.
In addition, the Saudi Spaceflight Program includes the training of two more astronauts, Mariam Fardous and Ali Al Gamdi. The Chairman of the Saudi Space Commission, Abdullah Bin Amer Al Swaha, confirmed that the Saudi Government wants to provide unlimited support for the space program.
Ilustrasi: Astronot di Stasiun Ruang Angkasa
- NASA|Space.com
Through this program, Saudi Arabia is enabling scientific innovation in aviation and space, enhancing the ability to conduct its research independently which will have a positive impact on the future of the industry and the country.
Another reason is to increase the interest of graduates in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, and develop human resources with the necessary talents and interesting skills.
In addition, the CEO of the Saudi Space Commission, Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Tamimi expressed his gratitude to the leadership for the commission's support and empowerment, which has reduced obstacles and challenges and enabled Saudi's great leap into the space sector.
Spaceflight is a symbol of the country's excellence and global competitiveness in areas such as technology, engineering, research, and innovation.
The mission is also historic as it will make Saudi one of the few countries in the world to take two astronauts of the same nationality to the International Space Station simultaneously.
The Saudi Space Commission also stated that the program is in collaboration with a group of entities, led by the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Sports, 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 spaceflight and space infrastructure development in the US.
It is also worth noting that the Saudi Space Commission has previously launched the Saudi Space Flight Program.
This flight is an integral milestone of a comprehensive program that aims to train and qualify experienced Saudis to conduct human spaceflight, conduct scientific experiments, participate in international research, and future space-related missions that contribute to the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
