Get ready for a historic event this Sunday, May 21, as a groundbreaking private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is about to take off from Florida.
Organized by Axiom Space, this mission will mark a major milestone as it carries the first two Saudi astronauts, including the first Saudi woman to venture into space.
The 4-Person Axiom Space Crew
Joining a 4-person crew is Rayyanah Barnawi, a remarkable breast cancer researcher who is set to make history as the first Saudi woman to journey into space.
Along her is Ali Al-Qarni, a skilled fighter pilot, forming the crew of the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2).
The crew's momentous journey will commence aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, soaring from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida at precisely 5:37 pm (2137 GMT).
Accompanying them on this extraordinary journey is mission commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran NASA astronaut embarking on her fourth flight to the ISS, and John Shoffner, a visionary businessman from Tennessee who will serve as the pilot.
An AFP report shared by Phys.org tells us that this remarkable team will spend approximately ten days aboard the ISS, with their anticipated arrival scheduled for Monday around 1:30 pm.
First Saudi Woman in Space
During a recent press conference, Barnawi expressed her overwhelming joy and honor at being chosen as the first Saudi woman astronaut.
She emphasized the immense significance of representing her region and the thrilling opportunity to conduct research in the infinite expanse of space.
Barnawi also shared her anticipation of sharing her awe-inspiring experience with children while aboard the ISS, knowing that witnessing astronauts from their own region will undoubtedly captivate their imaginations.
KSA Astronauts
As for Al-Qarni, his lifelong passion for exploring the unknown and his reverence for the heavens have led him to this incredible opportunity.
As a career fighter pilot, he expressed profound gratitude for the chance to pursue his passion and potentially soar among the stars.
While this is not Saudi Arabia's inaugural foray into space, as Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz participated in a US-organized space voyage back in 1985, the inclusion of a Saudi woman in a space mission represents the country's ongoing commitment to transforming its ultraconservative image.
Saudi Arabia established the Saudi Space Commission in 2018 and initiated a program last year aimed at sending its own astronauts into space.
Experiments in Space
The Ax-2 crew will conduct approximately 20 groundbreaking experiments during their stay aboard the ISS.
One particularly notable experiment involves studying the behavior of stem cells in the unique environment of zero gravity.
They will join the existing seven crew members already on the ISS, consisting of three Russians, three Americans, and Emirati astronaut Sultan al-Neyadi, who made history as the first Arab national to perform a spacewalk just last month.
The AFP report tells us that this mission to the ISS marks Axiom Space's second collaboration with NASA, serving as the key holder for the ISS. Axiom Space, a pioneering private space company, offers rare opportunities for space voyages, albeit for significant sums of money.
The company handles the extensive training of the astronauts, arranges their transportation, and ensures the smooth management of their stay aboard the ISS.
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