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 China National News.

More Information

22 ℃

Fair in Shanghai/Hongqiao

International

Section

Florida sued for law saying some foreigners cannot purchase land

MIAMI, Florida: Four Chinese citizens living in Florida have sued the state over a new law barring citizens of China ...

Ukrainian pilots to be trained by Norway to operate F-16 fighter jets

OSLO, Norway: Norwegian Defense Minister Bjoern Arild Gram has said that Norway would conduct training programs for Ukrainian pilots in ...

California says it wants to end gas vehicle sales by 2035

LOS ANGELES, California: Reuters has reported that California is seeking approval from the the Biden administration to require all new ...

United Kingdom to end migration of foreign students' families

LONDON, England: As part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's measures to bring down annual net migration, which reached a record ...

After being struck by Royals' escort motorcycle, woman dies in UK

LONDON, England: An elderly woman, Helen Holland, struck two weeks ago by a police motorcycle escorting Sophie, the Duchess of ...

Agreement to conserve Colorado River water signed by seven states

WASHINGTON D.C.: Seven US states that depend upon the Colorado River, which provides drinking water for 40 million people and ...

Asia Pacific

Section