United States: In a historic moment for the Arab world, a private rocket successfully launched, carrying the inaugural Arab woman astronaut on a groundbreaking mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Ms. Rayyanah Barnawi, a Saudi breast cancer researcher, and Mr. Ali al-Qarni, a fighter pilot from the same country, embarked on a joint mission. The pair joined a historic space expedition, furthering Saudi Arabia’s presence in space exploration.

Marking a significant milestone for Saudi Arabia, Ms. Barnawi and Mr. al-Qarni has become the first Saudi astronauts to embark on a space voyage in decades. Departing from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in the southern United States, the duo soared into the skies aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket precisely at 5:37 PM local time.

Ax-2 is go for launch pic.twitter.com/GJZDES7HN4

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 21, 2023

Joining Ms. Barnawi and Mr. Al-Qarni on this momentous mission is Ms. Peggy Whitson, an esteemed former NASA astronaut embarking on her fourth flight to the ISS. Also part of the team is Mr. John Shoffner, a distinguished businessman hailing from Tennessee, who assumes the role of pilot. Together, this diverse and accomplished group is poised to make history as they journey towards the International Space Station.

The quartet will reach their destination aboard the capsule anticipated to arrive at the space station on the 22nd of May 2023 morning. They are scheduled to spend slightly over a week conducting their mission on the International Space Station before commencing their return journey. With a splashdown off the coast of Florida in the southern United States, the astronauts will conclude their remarkable expedition.

Since a Saudi prince’s voyage aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1985, Ms. Barnawi and Mr. Al-Qarni are the first astronauts from Saudi Arabia to embark on a rocket journey. Adding an exciting twist to the story, upon reaching the station, they will be greeted by an astronaut from the United Arab Emirates, creating a notable moment of camaraderie between the two nations.

Houston-based Axiom Space, known for organizing private spaceflights, is spearheading this mission to the space station, marking its second successful venture. The previous private flight occurred last year, featuring three businessmen and a retired NASA astronaut. Axiom Space envisions expanding its presence by adding its own modules to the station within a few years. These modules will eventually be detached to create an independent outpost that can be leased to interested parties.

While the exact cost of Saudi Arabia and Shoffner’s ten-day mission has not been disclosed by Axiom, the company had previously indicated a ticket price of $55 million per person. NASA, after years of reservations about space tourism, has now embraced the concept and plans to facilitate two private missions annually. The Russian Space Agency has intermittently offered similar opportunities for decades.

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