Saudi Astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Alqarni Return Triumphant to the Kingdom following a Successful Space Mission
Four Saudi astronauts, Ali Alqarni, Rayyanah Barnawi, Mariam Fardous, and Ali Al-Ghamdi, recently completed a scientific mission at the International Space Station (ISS) and returned to the Kingdom on Saturday morning.
On May 31, Alqarni and Barnawi, the first Arab woman to orbit Earth, came back to Earth after spending eight days at the space station. During their stay, they conducted 14 research projects on microgravity, including three kite experiments involving 12,000 school students from 47 locations across KSA via satellite.
After a 12-hour return flight and re-entry through the Earth’s atmosphere, the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying American astronauts Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner landed on the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Panama City, Florida, using parachutes.
Reema, a 15-year-old high school student from Dhahran, shared that she felt more nervous when the spacecraft returned to Earth. She had learned about the difficulties of re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. She stayed awake throughout the night to witness the live coverage of their arrival and experienced a feeling of pride for being a Saudi.
Yasser, a chemical engineer aged 34 and residing in Jubail Industrial City, expressed his gratitude for living in a country that endeavors to empower its citizens through different programs, workshops, scholarships, and continuous endeavors to help Saudi citizens excel in all areas.
The ambassador of the KSA to the United States, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud, expressed her happiness on Twitter about witnessing the successful return of the astronauts and the Ax-2 team from their trip to the ISS. She highlighted the scientific experiments that would aid in the progress of scientific innovation, motivating the entire nation to aspire and discover.
Research Projects and Experiments Conducted by Saudi Astronauts On ISS
Dr. Wijdan Al-Ahmadi from King Faisal will collaborate with NASA to conduct experiments on Earth that are similar to those carried out by Barnawi in space. Al-Ahmadi will look at samples to compare how they work and what happens to them in microgravity and in high gravity.
The purpose of the experiments was to gain a better understanding of human health in space. The goal was to identify biomarkers or potential biotechnology-based treatments for inflammatory illnesses on Earth and in space.
The nervous system underwent investigation through experiments that looked at biomarkers in the blood and changes in intracranial pressure. This helped researchers learn more about the neuro-ocular syndrome associated with spaceflight.
More tests focused on the nervous system to find out how a low-gravity environment changes the electrical activity of the brain. They accomplished this through the use of portable electroencephalogram (EEG) testing. They used this to measure the size of the optic nerve sheath in pilots and to look at how the brain moves and how much blood flows to the brain in microgravity.
During the astronauts’ arrival at King Khaled International Airport, the Saudi Space Agency released a statement saying that the scientific mission would help people in a major way and help keep the Kingdom at the forefront of space travel.
According to the statement, the Saudi space mission’s important achievements and efforts are a source of national pride and were made possible with the help of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.
Conclusion
The recent efforts of Saudi astronauts are evidence that KSA is a leading country in space exploration thanks to the achievements of its space agency and the support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Their collaborative efforts are contributing to advancements in human health in space and inspire the nation’s aspirations for scientific innovation.
Last Updated on 10 months by News Editor
