The 10-day mission will conduct commercial and non-profit research and other activities at the station.
NASA has announced that two astronauts from Saudi Arabia will go to the International Space Station on a private mission in 2023 operated by Axiom Space.
Saudi Space Commission will send the first female astronaut to space in 2023 as part of its astronaut programme.
The new space programme will send a Saudi crew to space, marking a historical event for the country.
The two Saudi astronauts will be the first from the kingdom to reach the ISS ? 37 years after the nation launched the first Arab into space on Nasa’s Discovery space shuttle.
Two Saudis, yet to be announced, will accompany Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner on the Ax-2 mission, a Crew Dragon flight set to launch no earlier than May 1, 2023, to the station.
The mission will be organised by Houston-based space company Axiom Space. It is working with the Saudi Space Commission (SSC) for a future flight opportunity no earlier than 2023.
The partnership will bolster SSCs exploration programme through the addition of a robust human spaceflight effort. Axiom Space will collaborate with SSC to train Saudi astronauts for human spaceflight and prepare them to conduct meaningful scientific research in space, while making use of cutting-edge space technologies and scientific innovations.
Saudi Arabia announced the launch of its astronaut programme on its National Day on September 22, 2022.
