Saudi astronauts embark on landmark space mission

Saudi astronauts embark on landmark space mission

As part of Saudi Arabia’s space exploration programme, two Saudi astronauts are set to make history as they embark on a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Rayyanah Barnawi, a breast cancer researcher and the first female Arab astronaut, along with Saudi fighter pilot Ali al-Qarni, are headed to the ISS for a 10-day mission. Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali al-Qarni are set to blast off from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida, US, on Sunday, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA). The Crew Dragon capsule carrying the Ax-2 crew to and from the ISS is C212, which has previously been used in a mission in 2022. Joining them are Peggy Whitson, a NASA astronaut embarking on her fourth flight to the ISS, and John Shoffner, a Tennessee-based businessman who will serve as the pilot. Their mission is organized by Axiom Space, a private space company. Upon reaching the ISS on Monday, May 22 they will join Sultan Al-Neyadi, who is currently on the space station on a six-month mission. Rayyanah Barnawi’s career has been dedicated to breast cancer research. Barnawi expressed her excitement about being the first Saudi woman astronaut,