On May 8, two Saudi Arabian men and women will embark on a historic private mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The Saudi woman, Rayyanah Barnawi, is a breast cancer researcher and will be joined by fellow Saudi Ali Al-Qarni who is a fighter pilot. Rayyanah Barnawi will become the first Saudi woman to travel to space.
A former NASA astronaut, Peggy Whitson, will be making her fourth flight to the ISS along with John Shoffner, a businessman from Tennessee. Liftoff of the Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for 10:43 pm on May 8th. The four-member crew will be spending 10 days aboard the orbiting space station.
Axiom Space, a private space company, carried out its first private astronaut mission to the ISS in April 2022. The mission involving a Saudi woman is part of the country’s efforts to revamp its ultra-conservative image. The neighboring United Arab Emirates has also taken part in space missions.
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