Saudi Astronauts al-Qarni & Barnawi are Ready for Their Space Mission

Prior to their journey to the International Space Station (ISS) this month, Saudi Astronauts Ali al-Qarni and Rayyanah Barnawi completed their training and started quarantining, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Wednesday.

The first-ever astronauts from the Kingdom, including the first Arab woman in space, will carry out 20 experiments, including one looking at how to make artificial rain in future human territories on the Moon and Mars.

At the National Space Training and Research Center (NASTAR), one of the most modern flight simulator facilities in Pennsylvania, USA, they received training on all of the equipment and procedures required to accomplish their mission on the ISS with Axiom Space and SpaceX.

"The training program enhanced our readiness to deal with any challenge we may face during the space mission. It helped us develop the skills necessary for the success of the mission. The program emphasizes that space skills require intensive and accurate training, not only to ensure the achievement of the mission's objectives but also to ensure the safety of fellow astronauts' personal space," Al Qarni said. 

Saudi Arabia will become just the sixth country to have two national astronauts operating simultaneously onboard the orbiting laboratory, even though 263 individuals from 20 different nations have already visited the ISS.