RIYADH — The Saudi Space Agency announced the launch of 10 winning student entries in the Space Madak competition to the International Space Station (ISS). The launch was part of an international mission that was lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, United States, on Wednesday morning. The initiative embodies Saudi Arabia's commitment to promoting scientific innovation and empowering promising talent in the fields of space science with encouraging outstanding students to explore space science and innovation. The mission included sending 10 scientific experiments designed by students from Saudi Arabia and across the Arab world as part of the Space Madak competition, initiated by the Saudi Space Agency in partnership with the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (MiSK) and the Ilmi Science Discovery and Innovation Center. The competition aims to support those students who are interested in space science and technology as well as to encourage them to transform their ideas into practical scientific applications in the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station. The competition saw widespread participation of students from across the Arab world, with over 80,000 registered participants in the age group between 6 and 18. There were three categories for the competition: Art: "Bezel of inspiration," open to students with ages ranging between 6 and 11; Agriculture: "Bezel of growth," open to ages between 12 and 14 and Engineering: "Bezel of innovation," open to ages between 15 and 18. It was announced earlier that winning submissions will receive an exceptional opportunity to be sent to the International Space Station. Moreover, the competition also offers cash prizes up to SR500,000. Rayyanah Barnawi, the first female Saudi astronaut, is the supervisor of the competition. During the launch of the competition in February 2024, she said that the competition was bound to expand the horizons of ambitious young minds and fuel their creativity. This achievement comes as part of the Saudi Space Agency's efforts to enhance the Kingdom's presence in international space programs and provide a stimulating environment that contributes to supporting the knowledge economy, in line with the goals of Vision 2030 to prepare a capable generation that can effectively contribute to the future of the space sector.
