Saudi Arabia is sending its first female astronaut and a male astronaut to the International Space Station before June 2023.
Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali AlQarni will join the AX-2 space mission. It will be Axiom Space’s second all-private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.
“The step aims to empower Saudi capabilities in human spaceflight geared towards serving humanity and benefiting from the promising opportunities offered by the space industry”, the Saudi Press Agency said quoting official sources.
Saudi Arabia is set to launch its spaceflight from the United States to the International Space Station.
The team includes two more astronauts, Mariam Fardous and Ali AlGamdi, on all mission requirements. Both are going into space as part of their training.
The Saudi Human Spaceflight Program is a collaboration with US company Axiom Space. It aims at the training of Saudi astronauts and to promote SSC’s space exploration.
