Al-Marsad Newspaper-SPA: His Royal Highness Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Space Council, received today Saudi astronauts Rayana Bernawi, Ali Al-Qarni, Maryam Firdous and Ali Al-Ghamdi, before the launch of the Kingdom’s scientific mission to the International Space Station, with the first on board. Saudi and Arab Muslim astronaut Rayana Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni, who is also the first Saudi astronaut to reach the International Space Station on the flight scheduled to start next May.
His Highness the Crown Prince congratulated the astronauts for successfully passing the qualification program, noting 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.
During his speech to the astronauts, His Highness the Crown Prince affirmed that they 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. His Highness also referred to the high hopes pinned on the astronaut Rayana Bernawi and the astronaut Ali Al-Qarni. Being ambassadors and representatives of the homeland on the International Space Station with a mission that carries lofty goals to empower people, protect the planet and open new horizons through a group of research that the astronauts will conduct in the fields of health and environmental sustainability, wishing them success in their mission and a safe return to the homeland.
While the astronauts expressed their pride in meeting His Highness the Crown Prince and Chairman of the Supreme Space Council, and thanked him for the continuous support of His Highness, the astronaut Rayana Bernawi and the astronaut Ali Al-Qarni affirmed their full readiness for this historic mission, looking forward to leaving a mark in the field of space and enriching Scientific experiments that serve humanity, while the astronauts Mariam Firdous and Ali Al-Ghamdi, who will be assigned tasks at the Earth Station to help the astronauts Rayana Bernawi and Ali Al-Qarni during this scientific mission, confirmed their pride and pride.
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, 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.
