A stunning view of Makkah Al-Mukarramah from the International Space Station, captured by the Saudi astronaut

Muhammad Jamal wrote

Friday, May 26, 2023 10:32 PM

Saudi astronaut Rayana Bernawi captured a stunning view of Makkah Al-Mukarramah from the International Space Station, as the scene revealed Makkah Al-Mukarramah as if it were a bright spot in a sea of ​​darkness.

It is noteworthy that the Dragon 2 spacecraft succeeded in docking with the International Space Station, and the crew of the Axiom 2 (Ax-2) mission, including Saudi astronauts Rayana Bernawi and Ali Al-Qarni, joined the astronauts at the International Station.

Rayana and Al-Qarni sent a message after their arrival at the International Space Station, on a week-long trip to conduct some scientific experiments, according to the aitnews website.

Rayana Barnawi said, in a video clip published by the Saudi Space Authority: “Greetings from outer space, we are now living a dream that we never imagined would become a reality, with the support of the government, our leadership, our families, from everyone, the journey does not represent me alone, but it represents all of us.” The Arab world represents all Saudis.

And she added: “Praise be to God that we had the opportunity to reach the International Space Station, but we have greater and greater ambitions, including Mars. We must explore space, this is our chance.”

Rayana indicated that space brings together all nationalities, praise be to God that we have reached this stage, pointing out that she and her colleague Ali Al-Qarni received intensive training that lasted 10 months.

The Saudi astronaut, Ali Al-Qarni, addressed a speech to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the world, in both Arabic and English.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center published, on its Twitter account, the first moments of the historic meeting between astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi and his colleagues Ali Al Qarni and Rayana Bernawi, after their arrival at the International Space Station.

Rayana Brunei is the first Saudi female astronaut to reach the International Space Station, Rayana is 34 years old, and she is a researcher in biomedical sciences, and during this week-long mission on the International Space Station, Rayana will conduct research related to stem cells and breast cancer, and hopes that Be an inspiration to all women in the Middle East.

Rayana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Reproductive Science, Genetic Engineering and Tissue Development from the University of Otago in New Zealand, and a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from Alfaisal University.

The experiments that Bernawi will conduct on the International Space Station are based on some of her work that she carried out over the past 9 years as a researcher in the stem cell and tissue engineering program at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh.

While Ali Al-Qarni studied aviation sciences at King Faisal Air College, and works as a fighter pilot on (SA 15-F) aircraft in the Royal Saudi Air Force, and has 12 years of experience in combat aircraft.

In a previous statement, the Saudi Space Authority stated that the trip includes conducting 14 pioneering scientific research experiments in the microgravity environment, which will contribute to providing answers that will empower humans through the expansion of health research as well as protecting the planet through the application of scientific experiments, a number of which are being implemented for the first time. In the world on board the station, it will be divided as follows:

6 Experiments in the brain and nervous system.

4 experiments in immune cells.

One experiment in seeding.

3 educational and awareness experiments in a microgravity environment.