Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Sep 05, 2025

Barnawi and Al-Qarni mission to ISS marks a new phase for Saudi Arabia in space

Barnawi and Al-Qarni mission to ISS marks a new phase for Saudi Arabia in space

Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni historic scientific mission to the International Space Station (ISS) marks a new phase for Saudi Arabia in space.
Saudi Arabia's Astronauts Program is an ambitious and pioneering initiative launched to strengthen its position in space and develop its human and industrial capabilities.

The program aims to stimulate innovation, excellence, and collaboration among various stakeholders in the national and international space sectors.

It seeks to qualify experienced Saudi personnel for long- and short-term space flights, enabling them to participate in scientific experiments, international research, and future space-related tasks.

The program's significance lies in increasing awareness and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics jobs and disciplines.

Previous manned space flights have contributed to significant global innovations, such as laser technologies, respirators, and air purifiers.

Additionally, the program focuses on developing human capital and attracting competent individuals who can contribute effectively to the growth of the space sector.

Furthermore, the program holds potential for commercial returns in the industry, anticipated from its successful implementation.

As part of the integrated package under the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, the program includes sending Saudi male and female astronauts on missions to serve humanity.

The Saudi astronauts will conduct various experiments and studies during the space mission.

These include investigating changes in vital indicators in the blood that reflect functional brain tissues during short-term space missions and determining the safety of such trips for the brain.

Additionally, they will measure the effect of short-term space flights on telomere length and conduct a mydriasis experiment to measure intracranial pressure.

Other experiments will focus on enhancing knowledge of spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) by measuring electrical activity in the brain using EEG and studying the diameter of the optic nerve envelope for astronauts.

The mission will also explore cerebral perfusion and postural adjustments of the brain in microgravity using near-infrared spectroscopy as a non-invasive technique.

Furthermore, experiments will be conducted to study the possibility of seeding in a microgravity environment and its potential applications for settlements on the Moon and Mars.

The program will also investigate cell sciences, including understanding the changes in the inflammatory response in space, particularly the lifespan of messenger RNA, a crucial molecule for protein production related to inflammation.

Immune cell models will simulate the inflammatory response to drug treatment during microgravity. Additionally, awareness and educational experiments in microgravity will focus on fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, and heat transfer patterns.

These experiments aim to foster critical thinking among Saudi students about the impact of microgravity on their experiment behavior and results.

The research outcomes will enhance the Kingdom's global position in space exploration, contribute to humanity's benefit, and affirm the role of Saudi research centers in making a significant impact across priority areas such as health, sustainability, and space technology.

These endeavors align with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

The Saudi Space Commission launched earlier the Kingdom's program for astronauts.

This trip comes within an integrated package aimed at qualifying experienced Saudi cadres to go into space flights, participate in scientific experiments, international research, and future space-related missions, and contribute to raising the position of the Kingdom and achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
×