SpaceX launches two Saudi astronauts to space station

Robert Besser
25 May 2023, 20:57 GMT+10

Saudi Arabia's first astronauts in decades traveled to the ISS on a chartered multimillion-dollar flight aboard a SpaceX rocket from Kennedy Space Center in the US
The ticket-holding crew was led by a retired NASA astronaut now working for SpaceX, as well as a US businessman who owns a sports car racing team
Sponsored by the Saudi government, stem cell researcher Rayyanah Barnawi became the first woman from Saudi Arabia to travel to space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: Saudi Arabia's first astronauts in decades traveled to the International Space Station (ISS) on a chartered multimillion-dollar flight aboard a SpaceX rocket from Kennedy Space Center in the US.

The ticket-holding crew was led by a retired NASA astronaut now working for SpaceX, as well as a US businessman who owns a sports car racing team.

Sponsored by the Saudi government, stem cell researcher Rayyanah Barnawi became the first woman from Saudi Arabia to travel to space, joined by fighter pilot Ali al-Qarni from the Royal Saudi Air Force.

They will be greeted at the space station by an astronaut from the UAE.

The four-man crew will spend just over a week on the space station before returning to Earth, splashing down off the Florida coast.

"Hello from outer space! It feels amazing to be viewing Earth from this capsule," Barnawi said.

"As I look outside into space, I cannot help but think this is just the beginning of a great journey for all of us," al-Qarni added.

Also on the flight are Knoxville, Tennessee's John Shoffner, former driver and owner of a sports car racing team, and Peggy Whitson, the station's first female commander who holds the US record for most accumulated time in space, at 665 days.

The flight is the second private flight to the space station organized by Houston-based Axiom Space, following a trip last year by three businessmen and another retired NASA astronaut.

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Manila Metro.

More Information

27 ℃

Fair in Manila/Aquino

Asia Pacific

Section

Japan: PM's son resigns for holding party at official residence

TOKYO, Japan: After coming under public criticism for using Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's residence for a private party, his ...

Washington coordinates 14-country supply chain agreement

WASHINGTON D.C.: The U.S. Commerce Department has said that trade ministers from 14 countries have taken part in the US-led ...

China, South Korea seek to expand cooperation in chip sector

DETROIT, Michigan: Amid broader global concerns over semiconductor chip supplies, sanctions and national security, Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao said ...