Reaching for the stars: How Saudis made it to space

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The ax-2 mission crew, at the Falcon 9 launch station, (from left to right): Rayyanah Barnawi, Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, and Ali Alqarni. (Twitter/saudispace)
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Updated 22 May 2023
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Reaching for the stars: How Saudis made it to space

  • Rayyanah Barwani and Ali Alqarni, who blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, will work aboard the International Space Station
  • Kingdom’s interest in space goes back to 1977, with Prince Sultan bin Salman becoming in 1985 the first Arab, Muslim and royal in space

RIYADH: Saudi astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Alqarni have embarked on the Axiom Mission 2 to the International Space Station after blasting off in a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Barnawi, who is the first Arab woman to reach orbit, graduated from the University of Otago, New Zealand with a BA in biomedical sciences, and obtained a master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Alfaisal University.




The Axiom Mission 2 (Ax-2) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon capsule, carrying 4 crew members to the International Space Station, lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2023. (REUTERS)

In working as a research laboratory specialist, Barnawi has more than nine years of experience in stem cell and tissue re-engineering. “We are very enthusiastic to blast off to space and bring historic achievements to our country and humanity,” said Barnawi.

Alqarni graduated from King Faisal Air Academy with a BA in aeronautical science and obtained a diploma in aeronautical science from Vance Air Force Base in the US.

He is a captain in the Royal Saudi Air Force with more than 12 years of experience as a jet pilot. “We feel proud and excited because it will be our first time going to the International Space Station,” he said.




The ax-2 mission crew, at the Falcon 9 launch station, (from left to right): Rayyanah Barnawi, Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, and Ali Alqarni. (Twitter/saudispace)

The astronauts are scheduled to conduct 14 experiments during their 8-day stay. Eleven are on microgravity, including the effects on the brain and eyes, and three are educational awareness experiments with the involvement of 12,000 students from across the Kingdom.

They are joined on ISS by Americans commander Peggy Whitson and pilot John Shoffner.

Before blasting off, the Saudi astronauts were put through intensive training for nine months at Axiom Space and SpaceX, NASA Johnson Center, SpaceX headquarters in Hawthrone, California, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the European Space Agency.

They also spent 12 days in simulated space conditions, learning about weightlessness and practicing to float, communication skills while in orbit, expeditionary skills and the possible side effects of spaceflight.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Kingdom is committed to supporting space exploration and enhancing the role of Saudis in space and technology.

The Ax-2 is the first in the Human Space Flight program, which was launched by the Saudi Space Commission.

The mission will pave the way for a sustainable program by sending future Saudi astronauts on long-stay missions to conduct more research and expand the Kingdom’s contributions to science.

Their mission is the first in the Kingdom’s Human Space Flight program, which was launched by the Saudi Space Commission and will pave the way for a sustainable program by sending future Saudi astronauts on long-stay missions to conduct more research and expand the Kingdom’s contributions to science.

Vision 2030 plan by increasing the knowledge and technical skills of Saudis, diversifying the economy and expanding industry. The focus areas of the research in the HSF program will enable future missions to the Moon and Mars, in addition to physical science, human health, biology, biotechnology, biopharma, earth science, space manufacturing, and technology development.

The research opportunities will foster international collaboration, further enhancing the Kingdom’s role internationally, the SSC.




Relatives of Axiom Mission 2 astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi (L) and Ali Alqarni bid them farewell as they arrive at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 21, 2023. (AFP)

Established less than five years ago in December 2018, the commission represents the Kingdom at international forums, works with government agencies, regulates space activities and policies and promotes research and industrial activities related to space.

The Kingdom has further committed itself to supporting space exploration and enhancing the role of Saudis in space and technology with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship program in collaboration with the Saudi Space Commission.

The program offers Saudi students the opportunity to study undergraduate and graduate degrees in space-related fields at the most prestigious international universities.

The top space majors include astronomy and space sciences, aerospace engineering, astrophysics, general relativity physics and cosmology, vehicle design and engineering, aeronautics and astronautics engineering, space engineering, space law and policies.


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“The scholarship opportunities for space-related programs are one of the strategies of the Supreme Committee for Research, Development and Innovation launched by the Crown Prince to enhance the labor market with human cadres,” said Amal Shuqair, the deputy minister of Education for Scholarship.

The Kingdom’s interest in space goes back to 1977, when the Saudi government established the Saudi Arabian National Center for Science and Technology, which conducted applied scientific research in several fields including space.

In 1985, when Prince Sultan bin Salman traveled to space to launch the second Arab satellite, the center’s name was changed to King Abdulaziz Center for Science and Technology. It then worked to advance the sector and plan for the transfer and localization of satellite technology.

A year after, the Kingdom established the Saudi Center for Remote Sensing, and it also established the Space and Aviation Research Institute at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in 1997.

The Kingdom also succeeded in launching 16 Saudi satellites from 2000 to 2019, providing communication in semi-remote areas.

The last launch sent the Saudi Geostationary Satellite 1, which was developed by a team from King Abdul Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.

The satellite provided telecommunications capabilities, stronger internet connectivity, and TV and secure communications in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.


 


Sudan’s army chief receives Saudi deputy foreign minister in Port Sudan

Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan receives Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Port Sudan.
Updated 05 November 2024
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Sudan’s army chief receives Saudi deputy foreign minister in Port Sudan

  • During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji stressed the keenness of the Kingdom’s leadership on restoring security and stability in Sudan

RIYADH: Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan received Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji in Port Sudan on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Al-Khuraiji stressed the keenness of the Kingdom’s leadership on restoring security and stability in Sudan.

The minister’s visit to the country comes as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to address the crisis in Sudan, reach a ceasefire, and restore stability to the country. 

The Kingdom continues to support the humanitarian response efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people, Saudi Press Agency said. 


Saudi pavilion at UNESCO Arab Week in Paris celebrates Kingdom’s camel culture

Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi pavilion at UNESCO Arab Week in Paris celebrates Kingdom’s camel culture

  • It shows how the role of the camel evolved from essential means of transport and provider of resources to a cultural icon embodying the Kingdom’s values

PARIS: The Saudi pavilion at UNESCO’s Arab Week event in Paris this week featured a showcase of the Kingdom’s deep-rooted connection to camel culture.

It explored the role of the animals as a vital part of the nation’s heritage, identity and civilization, and offered a glimpse into their enduring place in society, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The exhibits showed how the role of the camel has evolved from essential means of transport and provider of resources to a cultural icon that embodies the Kingdom’s values, and the ways in which camels are embedded in Saudi customs, traditions and literature, including poetry and proverbs.

The Saudi Ministry of Culture designated 2024 “The Year of the Camel” to highlight and reinforce the status of the animal as a national symbol and cornerstone of the Arabian cultural identity. Camels are regularly celebrated across the country through dedicated festivals, race events, clubs and research centers.

UNESCO’s Arab Week, which features 22 Arab nations, was initiated by Saudi Arabia. Guests at the official opening of the event on Monday included Saudi envoys, ambassadors representing other nations, Arab and other international diplomats stationed in France, and officials from UNESCO.


AI makes media industry more efficient and drives growth, expert says

Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital, speaks to Arab News at the Athar Festival of Creativity.
Updated 05 November 2024
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AI makes media industry more efficient and drives growth, expert says

  • Martin Sorrell: ‘AI speeds up writing processes, increasing efficiency’
  • New tech allows for increasingly personalized content

RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is being used more effectively and efficiently to drive higher economic development in the media industry, said Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital.

At a panel session at the Athar Festival of Creativity Sorrell described how media agencies, such as S4 Capital and its subsidiary, Media.Monks, are using AI in a number of ways.

One application of AI in media, he said, is in “speeding the execution of copywriting and visualization.”

Time to market is drastically decreasing: “What took us literally days is now taking us three hours,” he said. Yet this produces another problem because reducing the time of procurement cuts costs, but this also means it is necessary to move to a model that increases gains in outputs,” he said.

Another application is in personalizing content for consumers. Sorrell told Arab News: “Individualization, hyper personalization, are going to become more important. Knowing the consumer in excruciating detail, using data, using the signals from the platforms, using first-party data, it becomes even more important.”

Using Netflix audience feedback algorithms as an example, Sorrell pointed out that AI enables these algorithms to produce larger and more accurate quantities of output, for example, recommendations based on user profile readings.

“We charge on a per asset used basis. Price of the asset may come down, but total revenue grows because we’re using multiple assets,” he said.

A growing area is in “media planning and buying.” Sophisticated algorithms can far more efficiently choose the distribution of planning and buying than individual media planners.

Technological capital and human capital, however, go hand in hand.

“We as agencies have to validate the algorithm’s analysis. We have to make sure that the client’s money is spent in the right way.”

Another benefit of AI is its ability to improve organizational efficiency. Where organizational silos once kept departments and specializations separate, AI opens up information to the majority of users.

To maintain the emotional connection and trust of the brand-consumer relationship in a technologically driven world, according to Sorrell, understanding individual motivation is increasingly crucial.

“Insights into culture, insights into language, into custom, into belief, into family, into country, that knowledge becomes critically important, far more so in a globalized world,” he said.

The diversity and knowledge of global and local organizations are essential for the success of any company, but the value of personalization means that local knowledge may take the lead, he added.

Quoting Harvard Business School professor Ted Levitt, Sorrell continued: “because remember, consumers will consume everything in the same way everywhere.”

Advising young professionals in tech, media and other industries operating in an AI-powered future, Sorrell said that rather than stripping away opportunities from creatives, avoiding the risk of “bombarding” consumers with much of the same, AI means “creativity becomes even more important.”

Additionally, creatives need to familiarize themselves with the skills and roles that are complementary to the new world: “I think every creative should learn Chinese. I think every creative should learn Spanish, probably Arabic too … and they should learn code.”

“The skills of the ‘Mad Men’, that Don Draper had or his colleagues … are very different to what you need now.”


Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes this year as part of tourism drive, ACP’s CEO says

The CEO of the Air Connectivity Program Majid Khan speaks at the Umrah+ Connect event in London on Monday November 4, 2024. (AN
Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes this year as part of tourism drive, ACP’s CEO says

  • Kingdom has attracted 12 new airlines to date in 2024

LONDON: Saudi Arabia has launched 22 new routes from various destinations to the Kingdom this year, increasing tourist seating capacity by nearly 2 million, the CEO of the Air Connectivity Program has said.

Speaking at the Umrah+ Connect business-to-business event in London on Monday, Majid Khan said the Kingdom had attracted 12 new airlines to date in 2024.

Khan said: “There has been good expansion out of the UK. Virgin Atlantic is going to start daily flights from Heathrow to Riyadh in March; British Airways launched flights to Jeddah yesterday; Wizz Air will also be operating Gatwick to Jeddah flights daily.

“We are definitely focusing on our own carriers as well, because they are definitely our first priority; Flynas, flyadeal, Saudia, and Riyadh Air in the future.

“But we are also proactively working with international carriers in order to help us to get a higher share of inbound tourism to the Kingdom, as they have their sales and marketing channels in this part of the world.

“We know that the majority of BA travelers are not Saudis. They are actually travelers from the UK market, from their network in Europe and North America.”

Saudi Arabia has a strong, strategic location and travelers can reach more than half of the world within a six-hour flight, Khan said. He added that the ACP was working to deliver 150 million tourists to the Kingdom as part of Saudi Vision 2030.

He said: “Saudi Arabia is like one continent. We have 1,700 km of coastline, the new Maldives that’s actually the Red Sea, the two holiest sites for Muslims in the world, and mountainous regions.

“In the south we have Abha and Jazan, which I would personally call the Switzerland of Saudi Arabia. So it’s definitely an untouched wonder.”

An exhibition at the event highlighted new tourism developments in the Kingdom that British pilgrims can enjoy, including religious sites and activities that promote an understanding of Saudi cultural heritage.

Khan said the ACP was trying to revolutionize the way pilgrims travel, allowing them to holiday in the Kingdom after performing their religious rituals.

He said: “If we take the UK market, travelers typically have one Umrah ticket in their pocket to perform the minor pilgrimage with their family and friends. They then come back again to the UK, and have a separate ticket to either Dubai, Istanbul, or Malaga.

“This is something we would like to change. Travelers can perform Umrah, see the sacred places, and then save their tickets and continue to travel around the Kingdom. That’s the way we try to position Saudi Arabia.”

Rashid Mohammed, the organizer of Umrah+ Connect, said that Monday’s event had provided an opportunity for Umrah travel agents to network and grow their businesses.

Rashid Mohammed, the organizer of Umrah+ Connect (fourth from right), poses with the team from the Pilgrim Experience Program. (Umrah+ Connect)

Mohammed said: “We’ve brought you a diverse experience here in London, and it’s for you to use these tools, through connecting with people, to create packages that enhance and enrich pilgrim experiences.

“We’re also grateful for the support of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum, who are here today and have really backed us to put on this show.”


Saudi minister receives German foreign ministry official

Updated 05 November 2024
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Saudi minister receives German foreign ministry official

  • Discussions focused on enhancing relations, regional and international developments and issues of common concern

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Saud Al-Sati received Gregory Bledjian, head of the Middle East division at the German Foreign Ministry, and several accompanying officials, in Riyadh on Tuesday.

During the meeting, they discussed ways to enhance relations, regional and international developments, and issues of common interest, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Shoura Council Speaker Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Asheikh received Turkiye’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Emrullah Isler in Riyadh on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.