JEDDAH — Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Space Council Mohammed bin Salman received the Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi, Ali Al-Qarni, Mariam Fardous and Ali Al-Ghamdi, prior to the launch of Saudi Arabia's scientific mission to the International Space Station with the first Arab and Muslim female astronaut on board. In addressing them, the Crown Prince emphasized that their mission carries lofty goals to empower people, protect the planet and open new horizons through a number of research that the astronauts will conduct in the fields of health and environmental sustainability. He wished them success in their mission and a safe return to the homeland. Barnawi and Al-Qarni will embark on their monumental space expedition on May 9 while Fardous and Al-Ghamdi will be assigned with tasks at the Earth Station to support Barnawi and Al-Qarni during their scientific mission. Barnawi and Al-Qarni will blast off from Florida on a private mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Crown Prince congratulated the astronauts for successfully passing the qualification program. He highlighted the role of the space sector as one of the sectors that contribute to enhancing the Kingdom's international competitiveness, and the importance of space exploration to serve science and humanity. The Crown Prince affirmed that the astronauts represent the capabilities and aspirations of the Saudi people to contribute to innovations and space research to find sustainable solutions for the good of humanity. He also referred to the high hopes pinned on the astronauts Barnawi and Al-Qarni, being ambassadors and representatives of the homeland at the International Space Station. On their part, the astronauts expressed their pride in meeting the Crown Prince and thanked him for the continuous support. Barnawi and Al-Qarni confirmed their full readiness for the historic mission, looking forward to leaving a mark in the field of space and enriching scientific experiments that serve humanity, while Fardous and Al-Ghamdi expressed their pride and joy. Barnawi, a breast cancer researcher, will become the first Saudi woman to voyage into space and will be joined on the mission by fellow Saudi Ali Al-Qarni, a fighter pilot. This historic space flight confirms the Kingdom's commitment to supporting space exploration efforts, encouraging practical research in this field, and strengthening the role of citizens in space programs and its fields of science and technology. This is aimed to achieve the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which seeks to highlight the Kingdom's role in the space sector and its technologies.
