User:Saudiriyadh11/The Saudi Astronaut Program

The Saudi Astronaut Program is a Saudi space program launched by the Saudi Space Commision on September 22, 2022. The program aims to qualify experienced Saudi cadres to undertake long- and short-term space flights, participate in scientific experiments, international research, and future space-related missions.

The program includes sending Saudi male and female astronauts to space on missions to serve humanity. The first flights were launched in May 2023, and the first Saudi female and male astronaut crew included Rayana Bernawi and Ali Al-Qarni. Rayana is the first Saudi female pioneer to space.

Program contents
The contents of the program are:


 * Saudi female pioneers and astronauts.
 * The first Saudi female astronaut in 2023.
 * Long and short term missions to space.
 * Research and experiences to serve humanity.



Program Goals
The piloted space exploration serves as a benchmark for a nation's prominence and global competitiveness across various domains, including advancements in technology and engineering, scientific investigation, and groundbreaking innovations.

In the near future, Saudi Arabia plans to introduce the National Space Strategy, an initiative aimed at outlining comprehensive details of the various space programs undertaken by the country. This strategy aims to elucidate the goals and objectives of these programs, highlighting their significant contributions to the betterment of humanity.

The program objectives are:


 * Qualifying Saudi cadres for space flights.
 * Participate in space-related experiments and research.
 * Benefit from the promising opportunities offered by the space sector and its industries globally.
 * Contribute to research that serves humanity, such as sustainability and space technology.

The Saudi Astronaut Program is a significant milestone in the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a knowledge-based economy. The program is also a testament to the Kingdom's commitment to space exploration and its desire to contribute to the advancement of human knowledge.

Here are some additional details about the program:


 * The program is open to Saudi nationals who are between the ages of 22 and 35 and have a bachelor's degree in a STEM field.
 * Candidates must pass a series of physical and mental tests, as well as an interview with a panel of experts.
 * The program includes training in a variety of areas, including space medicine, space engineering, and space science.
 * The first Saudi astronauts are expected to launch into space in 2024.

Program history

 * February 12, 2023: The Saudi Space Authority announced the dispatch of the first Saudi female and male astronauts to the International Space Station during the second quarter of the year 2023 AD, where the Saudi female astronaut and astronaut: Rayana Bernawi and Ali Al-Qarni will join the crew of the AX-2 space mission with the aim of building national capabilities In the field of manned flights for the sake of humanity, the authority stated that the scientific flight will start from the United States of America to the International Space Station, and that the program includes training a female pilot and two other astronauts on all mission requirements, namely: Maryam Firdous and Ali Al-Ghamdi.
 * May 21, 2023: Saudi Arabia announced the launch of the scientific flight bound for space, carrying the first Saudi female astronaut, "Rayana Barnawi" and the astronaut "Ali Al-Qarni" aboard a vehicle from the International Space Station (ISS) in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. He announced that the two astronauts will undergo 11 research and scientific experiments during their trip "in a microgravity environment, in addition to 3 interactive educational experiments with school students in the Kingdom, bringing the total number of experiments to 14 experiments aimed at carrying out human research and cell sciences, and artificial seeding experiments in a microgravity environment.".

Related pages

 * Saudi Space Agency
 * Rayyanah Barnawi
 * Ali AlQarni